■••H- 









3^6dM^ 



THE STATE 



OF 



WYOMING 



An Official Publication Containing Reliable Informa- 
tion Concerning the Resources 
of the State. 



Edited and Published by 
FENIMORE CHATTERTON, 

Secretary of State, 1904. 



LARAMIE, WYO. t 
CHAPLIN, SPAFFORD k MATHISON, PRINTERS 
1904 






JUL 11 1904 
D. ofD, 



^NTENTS. 



Page. 

Agriculture 30 

Analysis — 

Coal 44 

Iron 54 

Mineral Springs 51 

Thermopolis lOO 

Saratoga 103 

Oil 72-7^ 

Soda 51 

Banks and Interest 131 

Bonded Debts- 
State, $260,000 133 

Counties, $1,109,220 124 

SdTiool Districts, $225,659.50. . .134 

Bank Statements 132 

Clay 48 

Climate 79 

Counties — Special Article on 

Albany County 91 

Bij,^ Horn County 94 

Carbon County 100 

Converse County 105 

Crook County 107 

Fremont County log 

Johnson County 1 12 

Laramie County 114 

Natrona County 119 

Sheridan County 121 

Sweetwater County 123 

Uinta County 125 

Weston County 129 

County and School District Bond- 
ed Indebtedness 134 

Debts — Bonded 133-134 

Educational Advantages 86 

Elevation of Cities and Moun- 
tains 144 

Elk Mountain District 67 

Fishing- 137 

Fruit Growing 32 

Grand Encampment Copper Dis- 
trict 59 

.Green River Soda 51 

Guernsey Iron District 53 

Guides — Licensed . ' 139 

Horticulture 30 

Hot Springs — 

Saratoga 103 

Thermopolis lOO 

Hunting and Fishing 137 

Industrial Association 139 

Interest Rates 131 



Page. 

Land — 
Arid Lands — 

Reclamation of 16-20 

Reclaimed — List of 20 

Coal 24 

Desert Lands 23, 

Government Lands — Acreage. . 21 

Homestead Law 22 

How it may be acquired 14. 

Mineral Lands 24 

State- 
How Purchased 15. 

How Leased — .Acreage 16 

List of Postoffices 142 

Live Stock 2)7 

Cattle 39' 

Sheep 39 

Horses 40 

Mineral Resources — 

General Article 40 

Coal 43 

Coal Analysis 44 

Coal Output 45 

Coke 43 

■ Copper 42-59 

Gold 42-55 

Hot Springs 51 

Iron 52 

Lead 42 

Oil 71 

Silver 42 

Soda 51 

Plaster 47 

Population by Counties 30 

Postoffices 142 

Public Buildings 131 

Public Libraries 86 

Railroads 135 

Seminoe Iron District 52 

Stage Routes 135 

State Fair 139 

South Pass and Atlantic City 

Gold District 55 

Stone — Building 47 

Sunlight Mining District 69. 

Tax Levies 134 

Taxes and Public Indebtedness. . 133; 

Vegetables 31 

Water — 

How Secured for Ditches 25 

How Secured for Pumps ig 

Wyoming — A Sketch 7 

Wyoming Wants 140 

Yellowstone National Park 10^ 



~]fREFACE. 



The Legislature of 1903 authorized me to publish a pam- 
phlet which should, in the main, give a concise account of the 
State's resources and interests. 

The task of collecting the necessary information has been 
somewhat difficult, because of the numerous interests centered 
over a territory embracing nearly ninety-eight thousand square 
miles, and the results are somewhat disappointing, as I realize 
that many facts of interest and value must, of necessity, have 
been overlooked. 

It has been impossible, within the space allowed, to give 
as much detailed information as desired, but an earnest en- 
deavor has been made to give, under the stamp of ofidcial 
authority, from sources of the strictest reliability, an accurate 
and reliable summary of the State's resourceful advantages. 

I take pleasure in giving grateful acknowledgment for 
very valuable assistance rendered in the collection of data to 
the following gentlemen, who have kindly interested them- 
selves in furnishing same: H. C. Beeler, State Geologist; Dr. 
M. C. Barkwell, ex-Senator J. M. Carey, W. E. Chaplin, J. B. 
Hassett, Henry A. Coffeen, P. L. Smith. 

FENIMORE CHATTERTON, 

Secretary of State. 



^^(yoming. 



\\'yoming was organized as a territory July 25, 1868, from 
what was then the southwestern portion of Dakota, north- 
eastern part of Utah, and eastern part of Idaho. On July 10, 
1890, the territory was admitted as a State by act of Congress, 
being the forty-fourth State in order of admission. 

Its geographical location classes it among the States of 
the inter-mountain or arid region, being bounded on the north 
by Montana, on the east by Dakota and Nebraska, on the south 
by Colorado and Utah, and on the west by Utah, Idaho and 
Montana. Its length from east to west is 355 miles ; width 
from north to south, 276 miles, and it has an area of 97,890 
square miles, or 62,645,120 acres. 

The region now comprised within the limits of the State 
was traversed by Canadian explorers and other venturesome 
persons at an early date, but the first white settlement appears 
to have been established at Fort Laramie, in the eastern part 
of the State, in the year 1834. Subsequently, trading posts 
were established in other localities, and still later the building 
of the Union Pacific railroad and the adaptation of the West- 
ern country to the cattle business led to further settlement. 

In general appearance the country is mountainous, with 
valleys, rolling plains and plateaus, the latter covered with 
grasses of great nutrition and furnishing admirable pasture for 
live stock, while the mean elevation is 6,000 feet above sea level, 
with extremes ranging from 3,000 to 14,000 feet. Probably 
10,000,000 acres of the total area of the State are covered with 
timber. 

Flowing east or west, according as their source is on the 
eastern or western slope of the main range of the Rocky 
Mountains, which cross the State from north to south, are 
numerous streams, among the number being the North Platte, 
Snake River, Green River, the Big Horn, the Shoshone, the 
Laramie and the Yellowstone. None of these streams are 
navigable in a commercial sense, but they furnish water for 
the irrigation and development of the surrounding country, 
and in some instances are used for the transportation of 
timber. 



8 The; State of Wyoming. 

The soil is a light sandy loam, darker and richer in the 
valleys. When reclaimed by the application of water, bounti- 
ful returns of agricultural products, with the exception of such 
as thrive only at low altitude and in warm, damp climates, are 
secured. It is estimated that 10,000,000 acres of the area of 
the State are suitable for agricultural purposes by irrigation. 

There are thirteen counties, four judicial districts, four 
irrigation divisions, many school districts, but no township 
organization. The capital is located at Cheyenne, in the south- 
eastern corner of the State. 

The climate is similar to that of the mountain region of 
Italy, and is not, as sometimes erroneously supposed, extraord- 
inarily severe in the winter. The average mean temperature 
for the year is about 44 degrees, varying somewhat according 
to elevation, and the atmosphere is rarefied and pure, with but 
few cloudy days. High winds sometimes prevail during the 
spring and fall, but cyclones and tornadoes are unknown, while 
the dryness of the atmosphere tends to ameliorate the effects 
of extreme cold. Snow storms are usually followed by high 
winds, which serve to uncover the pastures, so that live stock 
get the benefit of the grasses cured by the previous summer's 
sun, and as the cured native grasses retain their nutrition, it 
enables the stockman to support his stock upon the open 
range with little, and in the case of sheep raising, no additional 
food. The severity and frequency of Western blizzards have 
been largely exaggerated, so that some people consider the 
Western climate is synonymous with constant storms, dan- 
gerous to life. Nothing could be farther from the truth, and 
but few climates are more bracing, healthful or pleasant than 
the climate of the mountain region of the Western States. 
The lowest temperature registered at Cheyenne in December, 
1903, was 24 degrees above zero. The almost constant sunlight 
is not only pleasant, but beneficial from a sanitary standpoint, 
and it is a well recognized fact in the medical profession that 
certain diseases, notably pulmonary afifections, are much ben- 
efited by change from the States of lower altitudes to Wyo- 
ming or adjacent States. (See article on Climate.) 

Gold, copper and coal mining, petroleum production and 
raising live stock are the most important business interests of 
the State. (See articles on these resources.) As will be no- 
ticed elsewhere in this publication, the supply of coal under- 
lying the State is apparently inexhaustible, and constant em- 
ployment is furnished to a great many miners. 

The raising of live stock in its departments, however, 
probably now claims the attention of more people than any 
other industry, and the facilities for prosecuting that business 



The State of Wyoming. 9 

are such as to commend it to the attention of prospective set- 
tlers. It is a noticeable feature of the present condition of the 
State that many of the former large herds of cattle have, in 
recent years, been reduced, without, however, materially re- 
ducing the total number of cattle in the State, while the num- 
ber of small herds owned by ranchmen and farmers has largely 
increased, and it is doubtful if any other State can show an 
agricultural population whose financial condition averages 
better than that of W^yoming's ranchmen. ]\Iany are here to 
testify to the benefits and profits derived by them from the 
use of the free pasture lands of the open range, with it nutri- 
tious native grasses, the opportunities of acquiring government 
land, cheap fuel and healthy climate, and the large area of the 
State in proportion to the present population is sufficient evi- 
dence that opportunities by which others have heretofore pro- 
fited still offer to the prospective settler. 

The State is destined in the very near future to become the 
richest, in its diversified natural resources, of any in the Union. 
The minerals listed in another part of this pamphlet are here in 
quantity. There are vast coal fields as yet unopened and sub- 
ject to entry under the United States statutes. There is an 
enormous area of oil land, most of which is still open for loca- 
tion. There are mountains of iron ore ; there is probably more 
copper than in any other State — veins from four to twenty-five 
feet wide, running from 15 per cent, to 70 per cent. — and many 
rich gold bearing lodes. 

Hot springs abound, which not only equal but surpass the 
famous Carlsbad Springs of Europe. The analysis of the wa- 
ters and the results of their use have demonstrated this to be 
true. 

The only thing necessary to make the State all and more 
than is claimed for it in this pamphlet is more transportation 
facilities — railroads operated in the interest of local develop- 
ment and not solely for trans-continental traffic — more capital 
invested on a business basis, and more men of brains, with push 
and honest purpose. To such fortune stands upon the Con- 
tinental Divide, with winning smile and outstretched arms ; to 
such Wyoming extends a hearty greeting and a co-operative 
hand. 



10 The State of Wyoming. 

Population by Counties. 

Increase 

1900. 1890. Since 1890. 

Albany 13,084 8,865 4,2i9 

Big Horn 4,328 4,328 

Carbon 9,589 6,857 2,732 

Converse 3,337 2,738 599 

Crook 3,137 2,338 799 

Fremont 5,357 2,463 2,894 

Johnson 2,361 2,357 4 

Laramie 20,181 16,777 3>404 

Natrona 1,785 1,094 691 

Sheridan 5,122 1,972 3,150 

Sweetwater 8,455 4,94i 3,5 14 

Uinta 12,223 7,881 4,342 

Weston 3,203 2,422 781 

Yellowstone Park 369 369 

Totals 92,531 60,705 31,826 

From reliable sources of information, it is estimated that 
the State's population has in,creased since the last census to 
125,000. 



Yellowstone National Park, 

THE WONDERLAND OF AMERICA. 



If all the other resources of Wyoming could fail, the world 
would still know of her through the Yellowstone National Park. 

The park was discovered by John Colter in 1807, but its 
final disclosure to the world was the work of three exploring 
parties in the years 1869, 1870 and 1871. It was finally re- 
served as a national park by act of Congress in 1872. It lies 
in the northwest corner of Wyoming; is sixty-two miles long 
by fifty-four miles wide. Its government and control is under 
the special authority of the federal government. 

The scenery of the park is not equalled by anything in the 
world. It is too grand, its scope too immense, its details too 



YELLOWSTONE National Park. ii 

varied and minute, to admit of even an attempt at its descrip- 
tion within these pages, for nearly every form, animate or in- 
animate, dream or fancy, ever seen or conjectured by the imag- 
ination, may here be seen. Its colors and blended tints baffle 
the artist's brush, and language is inadequate for its portrayal. 
It is here in this vast solitude that one stands in silent awe and 
hears the deep diapason of her mightiest and most mysterious 
anthem as it swells out into thunder tones or sinks into sweet- 
est, softest melodies. Here, too, is found all in nature that is 
chastely beautiful, hidden away in some dim-lighted alcove or 
bower, while all about is the grim-visaged and towering 
strength of the silent mountain sentinel. The eye is never 
weary, for the scene is ever shifting, ever becoming more and 
more beautiful, grand, imposing and impressive. Here all is 
quiet, rest, beauty, sublimity. 

Placed as it is upon the very apex of the continent, its 
seasons are "July, August and Winter." In the summer, July 
and August, the long-imprisoned vegetation bursts into full 
life and beauty, and in this short period occur the changes 
which require months in lower altitudes. The average snow- 
fall, from November to April, is ten feet. 

The tourist season lasts from June until October, and no- 
where can be found a more delightful summer climate. Every 
year shows an increase in the tourist travel to this region, 
which the government so wisely controls and protects for the 
enjoyment of the public. The park can be reached by wagon 
routes, which make very pleasant camping trips through beau- 
tiful and diversified scenic country. Probably the most pic- 
turesque route is from Cody on the B. & M. railroad, from 
which point a new road has been constructed by the govern- 
ment. This trip is fifty miles long, and can be made on beau- 
tiful tally-ho coaches managed by Colonel Cody (Buffalo 
Bill). Tourists can stop over midway and rest and fish for the 
speckled trout, and also make side trips into the famous Jackson 
Hole country. The scenery on this route equals, if it does not 
surpass, anything in the Alps. Guides and camping outfits can 
be obtained at Cody, and this makes a very pleasant method of 
seeing the park. 

The park can also be reached from Rawlins on the Union 
Pacific railroad through the Shoshone Indian reservation ; also 
from Casper on the F. E. & M. V. railroad through the Indian 
reservation. 

Many visitors choose a northern entrance, coming by way 
of the Northern Pacific to Livingstone on the main line ; thence 
a branch road fifty miles long drops almost directly south to 
Cinnabar, Montana, eight miles from Mammoth Hot Springs, 



12 The State: of Wyoming. 

Wyoming, and Fort Yellowstone, where the itinerary of the 
tourist choosing this route commences. 

The trip as planned by the Yellowstone Park Transpor- 
tation Company occupies five days, and includes the main 
points of interest, but each hotel may become the center of 
enjoyable side trips, if the visitor has time and means to tarry. 

The Union Pacific and its branch, the Oregon Short Line, 
bring the traveler to Monida, a station on the boundary of 
Montana and Idaho. Here he exchanges the Pullman for the 
modern Concord coach, which the Monida and Yellowstone 
Stage Company has in readiness for him. Although a day's 
ride from the boundary of the park, a tourist is seldom found 
who cares to forget that first day's coaching. The invigorating 
air, the ever-changing view of mountain and lake, good horses, 
a good driver and good meals at every station, combine to 
drive into the background the cares of his workaday life. This 
route connects with the belt line at the Fountain Hotel in the 
Lower Geyser Basin. 

All stage lines are equipped with the best and most modern 
coaches. Necessary hand baggage is carried, and trunks are 
stored free of charge. Parties coming in by one route and de- 
siring to leave by the other may have their baggage transferred 
without cost. 

Hotel rates are four dollars per day. There are four mod- 
ern hotels, with electric light, baths and telegraphic communi- 
cation with all parts of the world. These are so situated that 
coaches reach them before an early dinner hour and leave after 
breakfast. The midday meal is procured at lunch stations con- 
veniently placed between the hotels. 

The Wylie Camping Company furnishes still another way 
of doing the park. It stands in about the same relation to the 
two just described that an accommodation train does to the 
Pullman flyer. One travels the same road and has the same 
views, but from a two-horse spring wagon instead of a four- 
horse Concord coach. He sleepes in a tent, dines from a camp 
table, and pays thirty-five dollars for his week in the. park. 

Last of all comes the independent camper, who cooks his 
meals in the geyser wells, finds plenty of suitable camping 
places, and may have a very good time with small expense, if 
he is careful to quench his camp fire, and keeps his dog tied 
under the wagon, or, better still, leaves him at home. 

The government is spending large sums of money in the 
construction of wagon roads leading from the south and east ; 
the former from Fort Washakie to Jackson Lake, directly south 
of the park. From this point a good road connects with the 
belt line at Yellowstone Lake. The traveler taking this route 



Yellowstone National Park. 13 

passes within the shadow of the Grand Teton and along the 
margin of Jackson Lake, a combination of water and mountain 
scenery unsurpassed for grandeur and beauty. 

As the United States has sole and exclusive jurisdiction 
over the park, its protection and improvement are under the 
direction of government officers. Fort Yellowstone, located 
at Mammoth Hot Springs, is a two-troop cavalry post. The 
commanding officer is the acting superintendent of the park. 
The United States Commissioner, who has civil jurisdiction 
of all crimes and offenses committed within the park, is sta- 
tioned here. There are also ten outposts throughout the park, 
at each of which are stationed a non-commissioned officer and 
a small squad of men, who patrol the entire area of the park 
both summer and winter. 

All roads are constructed and kept in repair at the expense 
of the government. The road leading south from Mammoth 
Hot Springs at Norris Geyser Basin, twenty miles from Mam- 
moth Hot Springs, intersects the belt line, which describes a 
circle of one hundred miles, and upon which is situated nearly 
all the most prominent points of interest. Twenty miles of 
the one hundred can be covered by steamer across Yellowstone 
Lake, if the traveler so elects, for an extra fare of three dollars. 

The English language is rich in adjectives, and all have 
been brought into service, but failed to picture the park. In 
spite of the attempts of the word painter, it has not been de- 
scribed. Each one must see for himself to appreciate the gen- 
erosity of Mother Nature, who has planned entertainment for 
every mood of every character. The poet may find his theme, 
the artist an inexhaustible supply of studies, the scientist a 
rich field for work. The lover of the grotesque will linger in 
the hoodoos. The mud geyser will satisfy a craving for the 
horrible. Spluttering pools and boiling springs will testify that 
the stokers of the lower regions are never off duty. The gey- 
sers bear a family resemblance to one another, but each has an 
individuality in cone and action. The Grand Canon, with its 
many hued walls, might alone invite the world to be its guest. 
Fish are waiting to be caught, but deer and other game seem 
to realize that they are the wards of the government, and only 
pose for the admiration or the camera of the visitor. Bears 
never fail to furnish the after dinner amusement at the hotels. 



14 The; State; of Wyoming. 



Lands. 



There are two kinds of lands — State and Government. 

The non-mineral land laws, which have been of the great- 
est benefit to the arid West, are the pre-emption, homestead, 
desert land and Carey act. The pre-emption act has been re- 
pealed. 

Under the homestead act, settlement on a tract of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres, or less, is required for five years, when 
title passes to the settler without any money consideration, or 
after fourteen months' actual settlement the title may be ob- 
tained by the payment of one dollar and twenty-five cents 
per acre. 

Under the desert land act, three hundred and twenty acres 
may be acquired within three years by the expenditure of three 
dollars per acre in improvements, water rights and cultivation, 
and the payment to the government of one dollar and twenty- 
five cents per acre. 

Other acts grant to the States for aid in the support of 
public schools, sections sixteen and thirty-six in each township. 
This grant amounts in Wyoming to 3,001,905 acres. There is 
also given the State five per cent, of all money received by the 
general government for the sale of its lands in Wyoming. The 
interest on this fund is used in aid of the support of the school. 

There have also been granted to Wyoming 663,080 acres 
for aid in support of her several institutions, such as the Uni- 
versity, Agricultural College, Hospital, Insane Asylum, Pen- 
itentiary, Soldiers' Home, etc. 

The rental of these lands, which are mostly pasture lands, 
bringing an average rental of three cents per acre, and the irr- 
terest upon the fund realized from their sale, at not less than 
ten dollars per acre, is used in aid of the maintenance of these 
institutions. 

STATE LANDS— HOW THEY MAY BE ACQUIRED. 

There are two classes of State lands : 

First — Those donated to the State for various public pur- 
poses, and over which the State has absolute control. 

Second — Those known as "arid lands," whose donation to 
the State is conditional upon their reclamation. 



Lands. 15 

Under the provisions of the constitution and statutes, the 
State Board of Land Commissioners, consisting of the Gov- 
ernor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Superintendent 
of Public Instruction, have the direction, control, disposition 
and care of all lands granted to the State. 

First — Those donated to the State for various public pur- 
poses, and over which the State has absolute control. 

May Be Sold. — The act of admission provides that all school 
lands, including the grant for the use of the Agricultural Col- 
lege, shall be sold for not less than ten dollars per acre. The 
constitution provides further that lands heretofore and here- 
after acquired shall be sold for not less than ten dollars per 
acre, and that such lands shall be disposed of at public auction, 
providing, also, that actual and bona fide settlers shall have 
the preference right to purchase in tracts not exceeding one 
hundred and sixty acres. 

May Be Leased. — The State Board of Land Commissioners 
lease any legal subdivision of the lands of the State at an an- 
nual rental not less than five per cent, of the valuation thereof, 
fixed by the board, conditioned upon the payment of the rent 
annually and in advance, and for periods of not more than five 
years. When any lease expires by limitation the lessee may, 
with the permission of the board, renew the same as follows : 
At any time within ninety days next preceding the expiration 
of the lease the lessee or his assigns shall notify the Register 
of his or their desire to renew the lease. If the lessee and the 
board be agreed as to the valuation of the land, a new lease 
shall be issued, bearing even date with the expiration of the old 
one, and upon like conditions. 

The power given to the board to refuse to renew a lease or 
to sell State lands at the expiration of a kase, or again to lease 
to other parties than the original lessee, shall not apply, when- 
ever the original lessee of the State lands, or his assigns, shall 
have, during the period of his lease, or prior thereto, reclaimed 
the same by irrigation, and shall have provided suitable ditches 
for its full and complete reclamation, and shall have secured 
an adequate and perpetual water supply for said land ; then, 
and in that case, the original lessee shall have the right to re- 
new such lease for a term of five years, which renewal may be 
repeated for the same period five years thereafter, and may 
again be repeated for the same period ten years thereafter, mak- 
ing a total period not to exceed twenty years; provided, that 
each of said renewals shall be dependent upon the continuous 
irrigation and cultivation of at least forty acres in every one 



i6 The State oe Wyoming. 

hundred and sixty of said land, and in case the lessee shall have 
failed to cultivate the said land, then said board shall have the 
authority to refuse to renew the lease, as hereinbefore provided. 

The lessee of State lands is prohibited, in all cases, from 
cutting or using more of the timber thereon than shall be 
necessary for the improvement of such lands, or for fuel for 
use of the family of the lessee, and from the cutting and haul- 
ing of timber from leased State lands to saw mills. 

Any lease of State lands procured by fraud, deceit or mis- 
representation may be cancelled by the board upon proper 
proof thereof. 

The necessary blanks will be supplied any person desir- 
ing to lease State lands, upon application to the Register of 
the State Board of Land Commissioners. 

Acreage of State Lands Leased in Each County and Revenue 
Derived Therefrom in 1902. 

Acreage, Rental. 

Albany 136,800.1 1 $ 5,832.57 

Big Horn 192,585.01 9,440.12 

Carbon 187,968.70 8,144.12 

Converse 333'547-^5 12,959.59 

Crook 161,247.85 5.99573 

Fremont 145,864.78 6,147.14 

Johnson 126,771.11 5,541,32 

Laramie 370,487.60 13,607,55 

Natrona 207,905.97 7,716.36 

Sheridan 188,875.31 9.39545 

Sweetwater 42,078.57 2,127.95 

Uinta 101,450.63 5,056,48 

Weston 103,918,18 3,960,92 

Totals 2,302,501.47 $95,925.30 

Second — Those Known as Arid Lands Whose Donation to 
the State Is Conditional Upon Their Reclamation. 

The act of Congress approved August 18, 1894, donated to 
the State of Wyoming, conditional upon its reclamation, one 
million acres of arid land. The State of Wyoming accepted 
the conditions of the grant, and by Chapter 15, Title 9, of 
Division i of the Revised Statutes, provided for its reclama- 
tion, occupation and disposal. The general provisions of this 
law are as follows : 

Request and Proposal. — Any person, or company of per- 
sons, having constructed or desiring to construct ditches, ca- 



Lands. 17 

nals or other irrigation works to reclaim lands under the pro- 
visions of this act, shall file with the State Board of Land 
Commissioners a request for the selection of the land to be 
reclaimed, and accompany this request with a proposal to con- 
struct the ditch, canal or other irrigation works necessary for 
the complete reclamation of the land asked to be selected, and 
shall make clear to the board their financial ability to carry out 
the proposed undertaking. 

Guaranty. — A certified check for such sum as may be de- 
termined by the board shall accompany each request and pro- 
posal as a guarantee that a contract with the State will be en- 
tered into according to its terms. 

Maps and Field Notes. — An accurate sur\ey must be made 
and maps and field notes furnished the board, with a certified 
copy of a permit from the State Engineer to appropriate wa- 
ter for the reclamation of the land described. 

Terms of Contract — With State for Construction— With 
Settler for Land and Water — Bond. — Upon the withdrawal of 
the land by the Department of the Interior, it shall be the duty 
of the board to enter into a contract with the parties submit- 
ting the proposal, which contract shall contain complete spec- 
ifications of the location, dimensions, character and estimated 
cost of the proposed ditch, canal or other irrigation works; 
the price per acre and terms at which such works and per- 
petual water rights shall be sold to settlers ; provided, that 
such price and terms for irrigation works and w^ater rights 
shall in all cases be reasonable and just. This contract shall 
not be entered into on the part of the State until a satisfactory 
bond is filed by the proposed contractor for irrigation works, 
which bond shall be in a penal sum equal to five per cent, of 
the estimated cost of the works. 

Time Allowed for Construction. — Xo contract shall be 
made by the board which requires a greater time than five 
years for the construction of the works, and all contracts shall 
state that the work shall begin within six months from the 
date of contract ; that at least one-tenth of the construction 
work shall be completed wathin two years from the date of said 
contract, and that construction shall be prosecuted diligently 
and continuously to completion. Upon failure of contractors 
to complete ditch or canal under contract, the Land Board may 
sell any such incomplete works at auction. 

Application for Entry — Cost of Lands. — Any citizen of the 
United States, or any person having declared his intention to 



i8 The State of Wyoming. 

become a citizen of the United States (excepting married 
women not the heads of families), over the age of twenty-one 
years, may make application, under oath, to the board to enter 
any of said land in any amount not to exceed one hundred and 
sixty acres for any one person. Such application must be ac- 
companied by a certified copy of the contract for a perpetual 
water right made and entered into by the person making ap- 
plication with the persons, company or association who has 
been authorized by the board to furnish water for the reclama- 
tion of said lands. All applications for entry shall be accom- 
panied by a payment of twenty-five cents per acre, which shall 
be paid as a partial payment on the land, if the application is 
allowed. If the application is not allowed, the twenty-five 
cents per accre accompanying- it shall be returned to the ap- 
plicant ; provided, that where the construction company fails 
to furnish water to any settler under the provisions of its con- 
tract with the State, the State shall refund to such settler all 
paymens that he shall have made to the State. The board shall 
dispose of all lands accepted under the provisions of this act 
at a uniform price of fifty cents per acre, half to be paid at the 
time of entry and the remainder at the time of making final 
proof by the settler. 

Reclamation — When to Begin — Final Proof. — Within one 
year after any person or company of persons authorized to con- 
struct irrigation works under the provisions of this act shall 
have notified the settlers under ^uch works that they are pre- 
pared to furnish water under the terms of their contract with 
the State, the said settler shall cultivate and reclaim not less 
than one-sixteenth part of the land filed upon, and within two 
years after the said notice the said settler shall have actually 
irrigated and cultivated not less than one-eighth of the land 
filed upon, and within three years from the date of said notice 
the settler shall make final proof of reclamation, settlement and 
occupation, which proof shall embrace evidence that he has a 
perpetual water right for his entire tract of land sufficient in 
volume for the complete irrigation and reclamation thereof, 
and that he is an actual settler thereon. 

Patents — Water Rights Appurtenant. — The water rights 
to all lands acquired under the provisions of this act shall at- 
tach to and become appurtenant to the land as soon as titfe 
passes from the United States to the State. 

Fees. — The board shall collect the following fees : For 
filing each application, one dollar ; for filing each final proof, 
one dollar ; for issuing each patent, one dollar : for making cer- 



Lands. 19 

tified copies of papers or records, the same fee as provided for 
to be charged by the Secretary of State for like services. The 
money collected for fees shall be paid to the Treasurer of the 
State, and by him credited to the fund created by virtue of 
this act. 

The method of operating under this act and the State 
statute is as follows : An individual or corporation obtains a 
water right from the State Engineer and enters into a contract 
with the State Land Board to construct a ditch for the irriga- 
tion of any number of acres, usually of from 10,000 to 250,000, 
when this contract is approved by the Secretary of the Interior. 
the lands are withdrawn from entry under the other national 
land acts and become subject to entry under the State law, when 
the ditch is completed. The actual settler files with the State 
Land Board an application for one hundred and sixty acres, or 
less, pays the State twenty-five cents per acre at the date of 
filing, purchases a perpetual water right from the builder of 
the ditch — these perpetual water rights sell for from ten to 
fifteen dollars per acre in ten annual payments — he then has 
three years within which to irrigate and reclaim not less than 
twenty acres of land ; whenever this is done he makes proof 
thereof to the State Board, pays the State an additional twenty- 
five cents per acre and receives a patent for his land. The pur- 
chasers of the water rights become stockholders in the main 
ditch, and, when all the water rights are sold, the irrigation 
works are owned by the settlers themselves and the original 
builder steps out reimbursed for his time and money expended, 
if he has handled the project economically and on business 
principles. 

The moneys received by the State for the lands at fifty 
cents per acre create a fund for the reclamation of other lands 
by the State itself. 

This act is now proving to be the most beneficial to this 
State of any of the land acts, and probably more so to this than 
to any other State, for the reasons : 

First — This State of all the arid States has the best irriga- 
tion laws for all kinds of irrigation projects, and especially for 
those under the Carey act. 

Secondly — Because the State Land Board has taken spe- 
cial and practical interest in furthering the State's interests 
under this act ; and, 

Third — Because the State and National governments are 
behind the act and afford perfect protection for the capital in- 
vested and to the settler for the title to his land the perpetuitv 
of his water right. There is no possibility of any fake scheme 
whereby the individual investors or the settlers can lose. For 



20 The State of Wyoming. 

these reasons and the fact that the soil, climate and altitude of 
Wyoming are especially adapted to the most profitable crops 
as the result of irrig-ation, this State has accomplished more 
under this act than has any other of the arid States, and the 
act is accomplishing more for the settlement and growth in 
wealth of the State and the furnishing of homes for the poor 
than any other land act of the general government. Homes 
worth fifty dollars per acre are obtainable for ten dollars and 
fifty cents per acre, and capital invested is assured a fair profit. 

Under the Carey arid land act. the State of Wyoming has 
segregated and has contracted for the reclamation of 556,593.39 
acres. Dififerent tracts of lands are watered and to be watered 
as follows : 

Big Horn County— Shoshone Irrigation Company, 24,- 
562.55 acres ; Big Horn Basin Development Company, 28,- 
729.13 acres ; Big Horn Colonization Company, 21,077.28 acres ; 
Hanover Canal Company, 10,800 acres ; Newton Canal Com- 
pany, 784.43 acres ; Cody & Salisbury Canal, 80,000 acres ; 
Oregon Basin Reservoir and Canal Company, 200,000 acres ; 
Lovell Irrigation Company, 12,000 acres; Big Horn County 
Canal, 17,000 acres. 

Fremont County — Fisher Canal, 320 acres ; Boulder Lake 
Canal Company, 6,500 acres. 

Converse County — Fitzsimmons Ditch, 160 acres; John 
Scott Ditch, 160 acres. 

Uinta County — Uinta County Canal Xo. 2. 12,500 acres. 

Laramie County — North Platte Canal and Colonization 
Company, 15,000 acres; North Platte Canal and Reservoir 
Company, 27,000 acres ; Wyoming Development Company, 
100,000 acres. 

Persons desiring information with regard to the acquisition 
of land with perpetual water rights under these several canals 
may obtain same by addressing the following persons : George 
T. Beck. Secretary, Shoshone Irrigation Company, Cody, Wyo- 
ming ; S. L. Wiley, President, Big Horn Basin Development 
Company, 413 New York Life Building, Omaha, Nebraska; 
C.' F. Robertson, Secretary, Hanover Canal Company, 601 
National Bank Building, Omaha, Nebraska ; Colonel W. F. 
Cody, President, Cody & Salisbury Canal Company, Cody, 
Wyoming; Charles A. Guernsey, Manager, Oregon Basin Res- 
ervoir and Canal Company, Cheyenne, Wyoming ; W. S. 
Adams, President, Boulder Lake Canal Company, Saratoga, 
Wyoming ; D. C. Patterson, President, Uinta Canal No. 2, 
Patterson Building, Omaha, Nebraska ; H. D. Lingle, Presi- 
dent, North Platte Canal and Colonization Company, Torring- 
ton, ^^'voming; Fred E. Coe, President, North Platte Canal 



Lands. 21 

and Reservoir Company, 635 Seventeenth Street. Denver. Col- 
orado ; \\ yoming Development Company. Cheyenne. \\'vo- 
ming. 

Large deposits of coal, sold at one dollar and twenty-five 
cents per ton at the mine, are accessible to all the tracts now 
being reclaimed, or proposed to be reclaimed. 



GOVERNMENT LANDS. 

The area of Wyoming is 97.883 scjuare miles, or 62,433,280 
acres. Of this vast area, 59,454,912 acres are surve}-ed and 
2,978,368 acres are unsurveyed. 

The public lands vacant and subject to entry and settle- 
ment in the State, according to the last report received from 
the United States General Land Office, were : Surveyed lands, 
40,804,945 acres; unsurveyed lands, 2,978,368 acres; total, 43,- 
783,313 acres. 

Unappropriated lamls oi tiie United States in the State of 
Wyoming, as comprised in the several counties, are as follows: 

Albany ." 1,572,065 acres 

Big Horn 5,245,709 acres 

Carbon 3,346,696 acres 

Converse 3,824,016 acres 

Crook 2,873,800 acres 

Fremont 4,907,494 acres 

Johnson 2,296,630 acres 

Laramie 2,796,799 acres 

Natrona 3,21 2,252 acres 

Sheridan i , 1 1 1 ,982 acres 

Sweetwater 5,95 1 ,432 acres 

Uinta 4,193,519 acres 

Weston 2,450,919 acres 

The public lands in Wyoming consist chiefly of grazing, 
timber and agricultural lands, though there are large areas of 
coal, oil and mineral lands. 

The agricultural lands are those lying contiguous to the 
rivers and streams, and are vast in extent, but crops cannot be 
successfully raised without irrigation. By the application of 
water the soil is rendered very productive and is not surpassed 
by the fertile states of the Mississippi and Missouri valleys. 

The laws under which title to government land may be 
acquired by citizens of the United States are the homestead 
law, the desert land law, the timber and stone law and the coal 
and mineral law. 



22 The State of Wyoming. 

Homestead Law. — The homestead law secures to qualified 
persons the right to settle upon, enter and acquire title to not 
exceeding one quarter section (one hundred and sixty acres) of 
pubilc land, by establishing and maintaining residence thereon 
and improving and cultivating the land for the period of five 
years. A homestead entryman must be the head of a family or 
a person who has arrived at the age of twenty-one years. He 
must be a citizen of the United States, or one who has declared 
his intention to become such, as required by the naturalization 
laws. The act of March 3, 1891, attaches the condition that he 
must not be the proprietor of more than one hundred and sixty 
acres of land in any State or Territory. 

The class of lands subject to entry under the homestead 
laws are described by the statute as unappropriated public 
lands. Parties who are prevented, by reason of distance, bodily 
infirmity or other good cause, from personal attendance at the 
District Land Office, may make the preliminar}^ affidavits for 
homestead entries within the county in which they reside be- 
fore any Commissioner of the United States Court having juris- 
diction over the county in which the land is situated, or before 
the Judge or Clerk of any Court of Record of such county, 
transmitting the same, with their application and the proper 
fees and commissions to the Register and Receiver of the Dis- 
trict Land Office, thus permitting entries to be made without 
personal attendance at the District Land Office. Applicants 
availing themselves of this privilege are required to transmit 
with their application an affidavit setting forth specifically why 
they cannot appear at the land office. 

Where a wife has been divorced from her husband, or de- 
serted, so that she is dependent upon her own resources for 
support, she can make a homestead entry as the head of a family 
or femme sole. 

A single woman who makes a homestead entry and marries 
before making proof does not forfeit her right, provided she 
does not abandon her residence on the land to reside elsewhere. 
Where two parties, however, unite in marriage, each having an 
unperfected homestead entry, both entries cannot be carried to 
patent. A residence elsewhere than on the land entered for 
more than six months is treated as an abandonment of a home- 
stead entry. 

Parties desiring to commute their homestead entries to 
cash are required to make proof of settlement and of residence 
on and cultivation of the land for a period of fourteen months 
from the date of entry. There are many other provisions re- 
lating to restoration of rights, adjoining homesteads, soldiers' 
and sailors' homestead rights, additional entries, etc., too numer- 
ous to mention in the space of this brief article. 



Lands. 



23 



The following- is a table of fees and commissions charged 
in the Mountain states under the homestead act: 





Class of 
Lands 


COMMISSIONS 


Fees, 

Payable when 

entry is 

made 




Acres 


Payable when Payable when 
entry is certificate 
made ! issues 


Total 
sum 


160 
80 
40 

160 
80 
40 


$2.50* 
2.50* 
2.50* 
1.2.1+ 
1.25+ 
1.25+ 


.$12.00 i .$12.00 
6.UU 1 6.00 
3 00 ' 3.00 
6.00 1 6.00 
3.00 1 3.00 
1..50 1.50 


$10.00 
5.00 
5.00 
10.00 
5.00 
5.00 


$34.00 
17.00 
11.00 
22.00 
11.00 

s.oo 



'Inside Union Pacific Land Grant. 



tOutside Union Pacific Land Or 



Desert Lands. — All lands, exclusive of timber lands and 
mineral lands, which will not, without artificial irrigation, pro- 
duce some agricultural crop, are deemed desert lands, and are 
subject to entry under the desert land law. The party making 
entry is required at the time of filing his declaration to file also 
a map of the land, which will exhibit a plan showing the mode 
of contemplated irrigation, which plan shall be sufficient to 
thoroughly irrigate and reclaim said land and prepare it to raise 
ordinary agricultural crops. Persons may associate together 
in the construction of canals and ditches for irrigating and re- 
claiming tracts entered or proposed to be entered by them, and 
they may file a joint map, or maps, showing their plan of internal 
improvements. No person is permitted to enter more than 320 
acres of land in the aggregate under all the land laws of the 
United States, mineral lands excepted. Parties initiating desert 
claims are required to show observance of such inhibition. 

The right to make desert land entries is restricted to resi- 
dent citizens of the State in which the land sought is located. 
Citizenship and residence must be duly shown. The entryman 
must expend at least three dollars per acre, one dollar per acre 
during each year for three years, and must file proof thereof 
during each year, such proof to consist of his affidavit, corrob- 
orated by the affidavits of two or more witnesses, showing that 
the full sum of one dollar per acre has been expended during 
such year and the manner in which expended, and at the ex- 
piration of three years a map or plan showing the character and 
extent of the improvements. Failure to file the required proof 
during any year shall cause the land to revert to the United 
States, the money paid to be forfeited and the entry to be can- 
celled. The party may make his final entry and receive his pat- 
ent at any time prior to the expiration of three years by making 
required proof of reclamation and of the expenditure of the 
aggregate amount of three dollars per acre, and of the culti- 
vation of one-eighth of the land. Persons making desert land 
entries must acquire clear right to the use of sufficient water 



24 The State of Wyoming. 

for the purpose of irrigating the whole of the land, and of keep- 
ing it permanently irrigated. Persons making desert land 
entries before they have secured a water right do so at their own 
risk. The price of land sought to be entered under the pro- 
visions of the desert land act is $1.25 per acre, without regard to 
the situation of the lands in regard to railroad grants. When 
proof of the character of the land has been made the applicant 
will pay the Receiver twenty-five cents per acre for the land 
applied for. At the time of making final proof the payment of 
one dollar per acre is required. 

Timber and Stone Entries. — The act of June 3, 1878, pro- 
vides that surveyed lands in the public land States, valuable 
chiefiy for timber and stone, unfit for cultivation, and conse- 
quently unfit for disposal under the hometsead and desert land 
laws, may be purchased by individuals and by associations at 
the minimum price of $2.50 per acre. A party making applica- 
tion to purchase a tract of this character is required to make 
affidavit that he is a citizen of the United States by birth or 
naturalization, or that he has declared his intention to become a 
citizen under the naturalization laws. The quantity of land 
which may be acquired lawfully under said act by any one 
person or association is limited to not exceeding 160 acres, 
which must be in one body. 

Coal. — A qualified person has the right to enter by legal 
subdivision any quantity of coal lands in the United States, not 
otherwise appropriated or reserved by competent authority, 
not exceeding 160 acres to such individual person or 320 acres to 
an association, upon payment to the government of not less 
than $10 per acre for such lands, where the same shall be sit- 
uated more than fifteen miles from any completed railroad, and 
not less than $20 per acre for such lands as shall be within fif- 
teen' miles of such road. A party or association having opened 
and improved any coal mine, or mines, upon the public lands, 
and who shall be in actual possession of the same, is entitled 
to a preference right of entry, and it is provided that when any 
association of not less than four persons, duly qualified as pro- 
vided by law, shall have expended not less than $5,000 in work- 
ing and improving any coal mine, or mines, such association 
may enter not exceeding 640 acres, including such mining 
improvements. 

Mines and Mineral Lands. — Lands valuable for deposits of 
mineral, such as fire and pottery clay, marble, asphalt, soda, sul- 
phur, diamonds, or of the precious common metals, are subject 
to sale under the mining laws. A location must be first duly 
made and record-ed, and- certain sums must be annually ex- 
pended. Five hundred dollars' worth of labor and improve- 



Water. 25 

ments must be laid out on each claim before patent can be ap- 
plied for. The rules and regulations and methods of procedure 
are too extensive and complex to be reviewed at length in the 
compass of this brief article. Mining locations defeat all rail- 
road and State selections, if the mines and minerals were known 
to exist, or were discovered prior to the time the road and State 
claims took effect. Homestead, desert and timber and stone 
entries cannot embrace known mineral lands, unless it be first 
shown that the lands sought to be entered are more valuable 
for agricultural purposes than for the mineral they contain. 

The United States land offices for the several districts in 
Wyoming are as follows : Albany, Carbon and Laramie Coun- 
ties, and a few townships in Southeastern Sweetwater and 
Southeastern Fremont County, at Cheyenne, Wyo. ; Sweet- 
water and Uinta Counties, at Evanstan, Wyo. ; Fremont and 
Big Horn Counties, at Lander: Johnson, Sheridan and a small 
portion of Eastern Big Horn County, at Buft'alo; Crook and 
\\'eston. at Sundance : Converse and Xatrona. at Douglas. 



Water. 



How to Secure Water for Irrigation and Other Beneficial 
Purposes. 

As the future agricultural development of the State rests 
largely upon the prudent and economical use and distribution 
of its water supply, it has been deemed a wise step to establish 
a State department under an efficient officer, the State Engineer, 
who exercises, through a Board of Control, careful supervision 
of the use and distribution of the waters of the State. From this 
department have been issued to persons desiring to apply for 
permits to appropriate water, brief instructions, of which the 
following is a copy : 

Applications. — Applications must be made upon the blank 
form approved by the State Engineer. Applications to enlarge 
existing ditches, or to increase the acreage watered therefrom, 
must be made on an enlargement blank. In giving dimensions, 
remember the following : 

"Width on top" is the width at surface water line. Depth 
is the depth of water the ditch or canal is to carry. 

The area to be irrigated must be given ; where not mea- 
sured, an estimate must be made, and where only part of a sub- 



26 The: State of Wyoming. 

division is to be watered, the estimate must give the acreage in 
each forty acres of these fractional subdivisions. 

The law requires applications to be made and approved by 
the State Engineer before work begins. No application which 
states that work has begun or has been completed will be ap- 
proved. 

Maps. — Each application must be accompanied by two 
maps, one of which must be on tracing linen. These maps must 
be drawn on a scale of two inches to the mile, and on sheets not 
less than six by nine inches. 

They must show the location of the headgate by courses 
and distances from some government corner. They must show 
the actual location of the ditch or canal, and where government 
survey lines are crossed the distance to the nearest corner must 
be given. Where corners cannot be found, give the location of 
line by courses and distances. 

The map must show the course and name of the stream 
from which water is taken ; the location and area of land to be 
irrigated, or place where water is to be used for other purposes. 
This may be done by marking the boundaries or by coloring 
the areas. 

Wherever the canal line crosses streams or other ditches 
the location of such crossing must be shown, and such inter- 
secting streams and ditches must be marked by ink of a dif- 
ferent color. Maps must 'contain the name of the ditch, canal 
or reservoir, and the postofifice of the surveyor, with date of 
survey. 

Reservoirs and Dams. — Plans for dams, cribs or embank- 
ments must be drawn on a longitudinal scale of not less than 
one inch to one hundred feet, and for cross-sections, of not less 
than one inch to four feet. The plans for outlet and wasteways 
for reservoirs shall show the total area to be submerged, and 
enough levels to permit of computing its capacity. 

Fees. — For filing and examining applications for permits 
to appropriate water, $2.00. 

For recording statements of claim, $1.50. 

For recording applications for reservoir permits, $1.00. 

For recording any other water instrument, for the first 
one hundred words, $1.00; for each subsequent folio, fifteen 
cents. 

For issuing certificates of appropriation, $1.00. 

For making certified copies of record, fifteen cents per 
folio. 

For attaching certificate, $1.00. 



\\'ater. 27 

An Illustration of What May Be Done Under the Carey Act. 

The resuhs obtained under the operations of the Sidon 
Canal in the Big Horn County are a splendid illustration of 
what can be accomplished under the Carey act by the prop- 
erly directed and conducted efforts of a community interest. 
Three years ago two hundred families moved upon a 20,877- 
acre tract where there was no water and scarcely enough veg- 
etation to support a jack rabbit. These people excavated a 
ditch eighteen feet wide, thirty-five miles long, in many places 
thirty feet deep, and tunneled a hill of solid rock nine hundred 
and forty feet, and for the purpose of obtaining funds with 
which to purchase necessaries, constructed at the same time 
twenty-seven miles of railroad grade and twenty-eight miles 
of government road through the mountains to the National 
Park. Last year, the second year of settlement, the}^ raised 
sugar beets containing twenty-four per cent, saccharine mat- 
ter — the standard of European beets is twelve and one-half per 
cent, saccharine matter ; of Colorado and Nebraska, fourteen 
per cent. They raised seventy-five bushels of oats to the 
acre, weighing forty to forty-five pounds per bushel, and worth 
one dollar and twenty-five cents per hundred weight, equiv- 
alent to thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents per acre ; three 
crops of alfalfa, yielding as a total for the three crops five 
tons per acre, worth fi\'e dollars per ton. Cherry trees grew 
4.7 feet last season. Sugar cane and peanuts are profitable 
crops ; vegetables of all kinds grow luxuriantly, potatoes 
weighing two pounds and pumpkins forty to sixty pounds. 

So, where three years ago the only moving things were 
jack rabbits, the coyote and the Wyoming zephyr, there are 
today twelve hundred prosperous people in happy and com- 
fortable honrfes ; three towns, with churches, school houses, 
stores, etc., but no saloons. The water rights for this tract 
and the land cost these people only eight dollars and fifty cents 
per acre. The land today could not be purchased for twenty- 
five dollars per acre, and in three years it will be sought for 
at one hundred dollars per acre. 

A statement furnished from the Bench Canal tract shows 
equally well. Last year, the third year of settlement, farms 
only partially cultivated — some cases only one-third, others 
one-half — show net returns of one thousand dollars per farm. 

Richness of Arid Soil. 

The average yield of land in Wyoming of different kinds 
of crops is from fifty to one hundred per cent, greater every 
year than that of the humid portions of the United States — 



28 The State of Wyoming. 

such as Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. Besides, there is no 
failure of crops under irrigation. This is a productiveness 
which not one man in a hundred in Wyoming appreciates, and 
which those who live elsewhere not only do not appreciate, but 
scarcely credit. 

This wonderful richness of our soil is, through scientific 
research, clearly explained as follows : Soils are formed by the 
disintegration, physical and chemical, or weathering of rocks. 
This breaking up and wearing away of the parent rock result 
in the formation of compounds which are soluble in water ; 
these compounds being chiefly of sodium, potassium, calcium 
and magnesium. Where rains occur more or less regularly 
throughout the year, these water soluble compounds are leached 
out of the land, passing into the subdrainage and thence 
through springs and streams into the sea. But where the rain- 
fall is scanty this leaching can take place only partially or not 
at all, and we frequently see the salts of potassium, sodium and 
magnesium directly on the svirface of the soil, having been 
brought up by the evaporation of the soil moisture. While an 
excess of such salts, as sal-soda, common and Glauber's salt, is 
injurious, where there is not an excess, there is formed in the 
soils of the arid regions a much greater supply of plant food 
than in the regions of rain where the plant food is leached out. 
This great accumulation of plant food defers any need of arti- 
ficial fertilization. This, without entering into an extended 
scientific discussion, explains the unusual productiveness of 
the arid regions and assures us that that great productiveness 
will be lasting. 

In arid regions there is very little true clay formed, the 
soils throughout being sandy and powdery. Consequently, 
there is very little or no difference between the soil on the 
surface and the sub-soil ; air, water and the roots of plants 
penetrating to much greater depths than in those soils where 
the under soil is dense and clayey. In this irrigated country 
from three to six times as great an amount of soil mass may be 
drawn upon by plants as in a humid country. A man who buys 
one hundred and sixty acres of land in Wyoming is getting as 
much soil as he who has from three to six times as many acres 
in the humid portion of the country. 

There is a prevailing idea that a sandy soil is unproductive. 
In the regions of summier rain a sandy soil usually means an 
unproductive one. for there sand consists of quartz grain only. 
In this country sand is the entire substance of the parent rock, 
none of the nutritive chemical ingredients having been leached 
out. 



W'atkr. 29 

Raising Water. — There are many places where, by reason 
of the high banks and slight fall of the stream, it is too ex- 
pensive or impracticable to get water on the land through a 
ditch taken from the level of the river bed. In such instances 
the practicability of raising water ten to fifty feet by means 
of gasoline and other engines has been proven. In one in- 
stance near Guernsey, on the Platte River, thirty acres were 
so irrigated at a cost of four dollars per irrigation day, the pro- 
ceeds from said tract being three thousand dollars for only- 
four months* work. In another instance water sufficient to 
irrigate two hundred and fifty acres was furnished by a six- 
teen-horse power gasoline engine; the engine and pump cost 
fifteen hundred dollars. As it was in the nature of an experi- 
ment, only thirty acres were cultivated and forty acres of 
unbroken land irrigated for native hay, all at a total cost, in- 
cluding the whole plant, of $2,070. The product brought $2,290, 
so the plant was paid for from the proceeds of one year's culti- 
vation of seventy acres. Next year it will cost $2,037.50 to cul- 
tivate and irrigate the whole tract of two hundred and fifty 
acres, and the products will sell for $8,177.50, or a net profit 
of $6,140 — and the plant paid for. Certainly a profitable way 
of overcoming natural obstacles. 

With the right to perpetual water, the application of which 
is absolutely at the command of the irrigator and not in any 
way subject to the caprice of the weather bureau, and lands for 
ten dollars and fifty cents per acre, with rich soil, which, with 
chemical action induced by the proper application of water, 
always retains its strength ; with phenomenally abundant 
crops : with good markets for everything produced, whether of 
the vegetable or animal kingdom : a perpetual sunshine with 
which that of Italy is incomparable ; and with the most health- 
ful climate in the world, what greater inducements for happi- 
ness and prosperity can any country afiford the sons of toil in 
the way of recompense for their labor and the living of a true 
and nolDle life? AVyoming, under the benefits of the Carey act, 
offers all of these. 

It is true that we have lands so strongly alkali as not to 
permit the growth of ordinary vegetation, permitting only that 
of saline plants. The useless salts have been left in with the 
useful ones. There are several methods of neutralizing these 
useless salts, one of the readiest being the use of gypsum. Com- 
mon salt may be disposed of by drainage. While the reclama- 
tion of this land may seem to involve much expense, its won- 
derful fertility will amply repay the cost. However, this is a 
question that need not concern us at present, since we have so 



30 The State of Wyoming. 

much land immediately available. But in enumerating our 
resources it is well not to forget this reclaimable land. 

With several millions of acres of this rich desert land ready 
for water ; with irrigation laws that furnish absolute protec- 
tion to investor and settler ; with the present rapid development 
of our mineral resources calling for a like development in the 
irrigation of our fertile soil, and with the Carey act, whose pro- 
visions have been proven the best, most practical and beneficial, 
the State of Wyoming offers exceptional opportunities to the 
home-seeker, the merchant, the manufacturer and the capitalist. 



Agriculture and Horticulture. 



In describing the agricultural development of this State, 
many interesting facts will have to be left out. Details cannot 
be given, only general statements. The diversity of conditions 
is so great that to discuss the peculiar features of each agricul- 
tural district would take more pages than are at my disposal. 
In some ways this limit will make this description incomplete. 

No general statement will fit all sections of the State. In 
the Wheatland colony grain is the principal product. In Jack- 
son's Hole it is not grown ; there cattle are the farmer's main- 
stay. Lander farmers, 150 miles from a railroad, must pursue 
different methods from those near Douglas, with two railway 
connections with the outside world. There is a wider distance 
in climate between the Laramie Plains, with their elevation of 
seven thousand feet above sea level, and the lands around Sher- 
idan, at half that elevation, than there is between Sheridan and 
Salt Lake. Many settlements are isolated and have developed 
local peculiarities, both in methods and ideas. Thus, Star 
Valley is a region of small farms. There are more tracts of 
one hundred and sixty acres than of larger areas. On Clear 
Creek the reverse is true. One ranch extends along the stream 
for fifteen miles. The districts settled by range cattle owners 
or sheepmen do not resemble the districts settled by small 
farmers from Utah, either in appearance or in the views of the 
land owners. All I can hope to do, and all that will be at- 
tempted, is to explain to those interested in the State, and 



Agriculture and Horticulture. 31 

those looking for homes, how large are the opportunities 
here presented, and how great a range there is for individual 
choice. 

The past ten years have shown that farming is one of the 
State's solid and best paj-ing industries. None others have 
kept pace with it in growth, and no other class of citizens have 
as much to show for their ten years' labor. The men with 
mortgaged homes and burdened with the oppressive drain 
of two per cent, a month have nearly all not only cleared this 
off, but have a bank account of their own. Land values are 
beginning to rise ; new homes are being built ; more land is 
being reclaimed, and there has been an entire change in senti- 
ment about the possibilities of Wyoming's agriculture. 

Anyone who will compare the valleys of Box Elder, La 
Prele and La Bonte Creeks, in Converse County, as they were 
ten years ago with what they are today, can form some idea 
as to whether farming pays. 

There are two reasons for the unusual success of Wyo- 
ming farmers. The first' is the large area of free public land 
and a limited area of cheap State land on which to pasture 
herds of cattle or flocks of sheep. The best results have been 
gained from uniting farming and stock raising. The old idea 
that the range was the thing was largely true, but this is 
now giving way to the more humane and safer plan of uniting 
the grazing and irrigated lands. The second is the high price 
of farm products. Wyoming still has to import large quan- 
tities of grain and nearly all the fruit consumed in the State. 
There are few sections where the supply of any staple crop 
equals the demand, hence prices are higher than in many of 
the large seaboard cities. 

Near our larger towns and cities some market gardening 
is done, and some fruits are produced, but as a rule not enough 
attention has been given these industries to furnish the home 
market, and large quantities are shipped in to supply the de- 
mand. This is due to the fact that we are now in the transi- 
tion period between the great stock grazing period and a new 
regime of diversified agriculture. This newness offers ad- 
vantages to the prospective settler not found elsewhere. 

Vegetables. — As a general indication of what may be done 
in raising vegetables in our State, I would point out the fact 
that at altitudes of five thousand feet and less sweet potatoes 
and peanuts are successfully produced. A good quality of 
leaf tobacco has been raised at Wheatland. Up to altitudes of 
5,500 feet such tender crops as tomatoes, melons, pumpkins 
and squashes grow to perfection, while in all portions of the 
State are raised big crops of onions, beets, potatoes, turnips. 



12 The State of Wyoming. 

cabbage, cauliflower, salsify, rhubarb, celery and like hardy 
vegetables. In 1894 the Experiment Station at Laramie re- 
corded an average yield of over fifteen tons of onions from 
sets, giving a net profit of ninety dollars and forty-one cents 
per acre. The better varieties of seed onions gave yields in 
different portions of the State of from twenty to over forty-six ' 
tons per acre. Maximum yields of turnips were upwards of 
forty tons ; carrots, ten and one-half tons, and potatoes, 522 
bushels per acre. 

In productiveness, size and quality our garden vegetables 
can successfully compete with like kinds raised anywhere. 

Fruit Growing. — The friction of starting is greater than 
the friction of movement. While we have no very extensive 
fruit farms as yet, enough has been done to indicate what is 
possible, and to demonstrate that there is no irrigated agricul- 
tural land in the State which will not produce profitable crops 
of some kinds of fruits. The planting of fruits, which was be- 
gun on a small scale but a few years ago, is rapidly growing 
in favor. I know of no branch of agriculture which is advanc- 
ing with more rapid strides than that of fruit growing. At the 
present rate of increase, our production of fruits for home con- 
sumption will soon be of great importance to the State. It 
must be remembered that Wyoming still belongs to the newer 
part of the West, and much of our industry is such as is still 
making use of materials already on hand, rather than forcing 
the soil to produce artificially. The establishment of irrigated 
farms and the greater production of diversified agriculture 
marks the dawn of a true and lasting prosperity. 

Our first farming was naturally such as furnished an in- 
creased amount of food for live stock, and the more staple 
farm crops. Fresh, ripe fruits, as distinguished from the dried 
and tin-can varieties, which have indeed been rare luxuries upon 
our scattered ranches, are rapidly becoming necessities in pro- 
gressive homes. The regime of the wandering hunter and trap- 
per, the shifting pioneer population and the nomadic stockman 
has passed, and our population is made up of a happy, con- 
tented, home-building people, surrounding themselves with 
comforts and luxuries, and providing for the comfort of gen- 
erations to come. Our agriculture and horticulture are becom- 
ing permanent and staple. The soil fertility is being kept up 
rather than merely taking from it all its great natural wealth 
of plant food. Fruit plantings are lasting and will yield their 
returns through future years. With irrigation and the intel- 
ligent use of improved farm methods, our crop yields are above 
the ordinary, the quality of the produce is unexcelled, and years 
of failure are so rare as not to be taken into account at all. 



Agriculture axd Horticulture. 33 

General Conditions. — Our conditions of soil, climate and 
exposure are exceedingly various. In a few localities, where 
the annual rainfall is greater than fifteen inches, or where the 
lands are underlaid with surface water at no great depth, fair 
crops are raised without irrigation. We have agricultural 
lands at altitudes of less than 3,500 feet, and from this to over 
7,000 feet above sea level. There are wind-swept plains, rolling- 
uplands, protected mountain valleys, and bottoms along 
streams, with corresponding lengths of growing seasons free 
from frost of from eighty days or less to more than one hundred 
and fifty days, and the mean annual temperature varies from 
forty degrees F. to about fifty degrees F. On account of these 
widely varying conditions, the fruits raised, the place wdiere 
they are to be planted, the methods of treating them, must be 
determined largely by each person for himself. There is a wide 
range of kinds and varieties from which to choose that which 
will succeed in this latitude, and the success with which certain 
kinds have been grown in the different parts of the State will 
aid in making the choice. 

What Has Been Done. — The most extensive fruit trials of 
which we have authentic records are those made upon the sev- 
eral experiment farms in different parts of the State. In addi- 
tion to these trials, however, are the important results obtained 
by our farmers and ranchmen themselves, who have been pro- 
ducing fruit for a number of years. We now have bearing 
orchards in Fremont, Sheridan and Laramie Counties, and 
more scattered trees fruiting in nearly every section of the 
State. So far as we can learn, the first trees were set out from 
1882 to 1885. The first planting upon the experiment farms 
was made in 1892. Russian apricots and some varieties of pears 
have produced thrifty trees and seem hardy, though they have 
not yet fruited. 

Apples. — The hardy varieties of apples succeed in all parts 
of the State. Mr. Jacob Lund has successfully fruited the 
Wealthy apple at about 7,400 feet altitude on the Laramie 
Plains. Several varieties of crabs are also being raised about 
7,000 feet. Mr. J. S. Meyer and Mr. Edward Young, in Fre- 
mont County, have produced large amounts of fruit from their 
orchards every season for the last seven or eight years. The 
principal varieties which have succeeded with them are the 
Wealthy, Duchess of Oldenburg, Yellow Transparent, Briar 
Sweet Crab, Transcendent Crab, Great Lakes Siberian Crab, 
Martha Crab, Soulard Crab and Montreal Beauty Crab. The 
Ben Davis also fruited upon the Lander Experiment Farm. 
In Sheridan County Mr. C. H. Manning has a large bearing 



34 The: State of Wyoming. 

orchard, consisting principally of the following varieties : Yel- 
low Transparent, Antonovka, Tetofsky, Moscow, Enormous, 
Hibernal, Wealthy, McMahon, Switzer, Plum Cider, Red 
Astrachan, Wolf River and Gideon. He states that he has had 
good crops every year since the trees were old enough td bear, 
and that all these varieties are hardy except the Plum Cider. 
In Laramie County the Ben Davis, Oldenburg, Wealthy, 
Pippin and Northern Spy, as well as a number of varieties of 
crabs, are bearing. We have no accurate data of the yields 
obtained from apples other than that they have borne full crops 
and that years of failure are very rare. 

Plums. — The native wild plum is found over the larger 
portion of the State. The best cultivated sorts tried are the 
De Soto, Weaver, Hawkeye, Wolf and Rolling Stone varieties, 
all of which have borne fruit. 

Cherries. — The best varieties are the English Morello, 
Early Richmond and Dwarf Rocky Mountain.- They evidently 
will succeed in all parts of the State, and the last named is 
especially prolific. Mr. G. W. Barlow of Sheridan estimates 
that his Dwarf Rocky Mountain cherries, set eight by ten feet, 
yielded an average of eight quarts per plant, which would be 
4,356 quarts per acre. 

Small Fruits. — The strawberry is the most cosmopolitan 
of all fruits, and it seems to succeed under all our conditions, if 
properly cared for. Some varieties succeed better than others 
under local conditions, but a few standard sorts, such as Cres- 
cent, Wilson, Jucunda, Captain Jack, etc., seem to adapt them- 
selves to widely different conditions. The best variety for any 
locality must be determined by experiment. At Sheridan 
11,645 quarts of Jucunda Improved berries have been gathered 
from an acre of plants. 

Currants and Gooseberries succeed in all parts of the State, 
if given half a chance, though gooseberries do not seem to do 
so well at high altitudes as currants. Mr. James King has 
raised some fine crops of Red Cherry and White Grape cur- 
rants upon the Laramie Plains. These varieties and the Cran- 
dall, which is the finest black sort, are the best of the varieties 
which have been tried for all parts of the State. At Wheatland 
White Grape yielded at the rate of 9,075 pounds per acre ; Red 
Cherry, 14,520 pounds, and Crandall, 32,670 pounds. 

At Lander White Grape currants yielded at the rate of 
11,507 quarts per acre, and Red Cherry, 7,260 quarts. 

The best varieties of gooseberries are the Downing and 
the Houghton. The Industry has also given excellent results 



Ac.Ricri/ri'Riv and Horticl'i.tl'rk. 35 

at Sheridan. At A\'heatland the Downing yielded at the rate 
of 21,780 pounds per acre, and the Houghton at the rate of 
16,335 pounds per acre. Downing gooseberries at Lander 
yielded 13,159 quarts per acre. 

Blackberries and Dewberries. — The dewberries seem to 
succeed better than the ordinary blackberries at high altitudes. 
The canes of blackberries and dewberries, as well as those of 
raspberries, must be covered with earth for winter protection. 
The Early King seems to be the best variety of blackberries 
tried. It yielded at the rate of 9,525 pounds per acre at Wheat- 
land. This variety was the most prolific at Lander also. 

Raspberries have succeeded somewhat better than black- 
berries. At Wheatland Thompson's Early Prolific, which did 
better than any other kind, yielded at the rate of 6,808 pounds 
per acre. At Sheridan the raspberries gave large crops each 
year, but the varieties were somewhat mixed, so comparative 
results are not of much value. 

Grapes will probably not succeed much above 5,500 feet 
altitude, unless they can be given more than ordinary protec- 
tion. Some varieties have been fruited at Sheridan, and the 
early varieties planted at Lander have made excellent growth 
and are now producing fine crops. The Wyoming Red and 
Concord have been the heaviest yielders, and have shown that 
they will ripen before early frosts. Grapes merit more ex- 
tended trial than they have had, especially in sheltered lo- 
calities. 

Raising Fruits for Market. — L^ndoubtedly for some time 
the home demand will be greater than the supply. This gives 
the W^yoming fruit grower a decided advantage over growers 
in old, well established fruit belts. He will not need to place 
his fruits in competition with those in the general market, and 
the expense of shipping precludes serious competition from 
growers in other States in many kinds of fruit which he can 
successfully raise at home. He can supply his own home much 
cheaper than he can buy inferior products from elsewhere, and 
his surplus will find ready sale in home markets. 

Cost and Profit With Fruit. — We are still sufficiently util- 
itarian to look upon the cash side of every proposition, and it 
is necessary to show the prospective fruit grower what may be 
expected in expenditures and returns. It is not possible to 
state the money value of the higher living and increased health 
which come with greater fresh fruit consumption in the home, 
and the greater independence of producing it ourselves, but we 



36 The State oe Wyoming. 

have estimated the money value at the local market prices, and 
the expense under local conditions of producing and marketing 
strawberries and Dwarf cherries. We give the average yields, 
the lowest market price and the greatest probable expense of 
raising the crop in each case, as follows : 

Raspberries. 

Average yield from all varieties grown at Sheridan for two 
years, 952 quarts. 

Value per acre at local market price, 25 cents per quart.. $238.25 
Total cost of raising, picking and marketing per acre. . . 65.65 

Net profit per acre $172.60 

Dwarf Cherries. 

Mr. Barlow of Sheridan estimates average yield of Dwarf 
Rocky Mountain cherries at eight quarts per plant, set 8 by 10 
feet apart. This would give a yield per acre of 4,356 quarts. 
Five cents per quart would be a very low price for the 

fruit, giving a value to the crop, per acre, of $217.80 

Although picking, boxing and crating would cost less, 

we give the cost of raising and marketing the crop 

the same as for raspberries 65.65 

Net profit per acre $152.15 

Strawberries. 
Average yield per acre of thirty-one varieties at Sheridan, 
1896, 6,920 quarts . 

Value at 10 cents per quart, local market $692.00 

Total cost of plants, setting out new beds each 3^ear, cul- 
tivation, irrigation, picking, boxing, crating and 
marketing, per acre 301.60 

Net profit per acre $390.40 

Fruit Growing With Irrigation vs. Without Irrigation — 

While much has been said of the advantages of farming under 
irrigation over farming in pluvial districts, these advantages 
are not appreciated as they should be. We hear of the disad- 
vantages of raising crops by irrigation only from those who are 
unacquainted with it in actual practice. Many who barely 
exist upon unirrigated farms cannot understand how the ad- 
ditional expense of applying water is to be met, and it could 
not be if an increased crop production did not more than pay 
all the added expense. Those who have farmed under good 
irrigation systems would be loth to return to rainfall condi- 



Live Stock. 37 

tions and take the years of failure, or the h^wer yield, with 
good grace. 

Late frosts, which would be destructive to fruit buds and 
flowers, may be quite effectually prevented by keeping the 
ground well soaked and water in the furrows on nights when 
there is danger of frost. 

The irrigated orchard bears its full crop every season, in- 
stead of resting every other season, or two seasons out of three. 
The quality of the crop is improved by the application of water 
just when it is needed, and in our dry climate there is little 
danger of too much water being forced on the plants during 
the fruiting season. Naturally, the quality of the fruit is im- 
proved as well by the large amount of sunshine, which gives 
it the highest colors and materially aids in the ripening and 
sweetening process. 

In good irrigation practice the soil fertility is never les- 
sened by leaching. In fact, fertility is conserved to the great- 
est possible extent, and most irrigation waters add plant foods 
to the soil. It has been demonstrated that water carrying 
quantities of sediment adds to the total amount of plant food 
in the soil, regardless of the crops removed each year. In such 
places artificial fertilizers will never be needed, while the pro- 
duction may be as constant as in the famous valley of the Nile. 

The time of irrigation, when the soil and plants are in need 
of water, and the amount to be applied, along with the best 
methods of applying it, are matters whose correct solution re- 
quires careful and intelligent thought and study of every fruit 
grower. They must be determined largely by each individual 
for the conditions of soil and climate in his Ujcalitv. 



Live Stock. 



The live stock industry of Wyoming, which for a long 
time was its only industry, has a history as varied and romantic 
as a Sixteenth century tale. When the country now com- 
prised in this State was first discovered a luxuriant grass cov- 
ered the prairies, upon which nothing but buffalo and wild 



38 The State oe Wyoming. 

game grazed. Her first herds were gathered and reared by 
men who preceded the first attempts at actual settlement of 
the Territory. Lying in the pathway of that great migration 
to the Pacific coast, which began in the middle of the past cen- 
tury, her territory was necessarily traversed by countless long 
trains of ox teams, many of which, through accident or disease, 
were destined never to reach their journey's end. Sick, injured, 
footsore and poor, these animals were abandoned to live as 
best they might, or become a prey for the wild animals of 
mountain and plain. That many of them lived through the 
winter following and were fat enough for beef in the early 
springtime proved a revelation to the man accustomed to long 
and expensive winter feeding, and forced his attention to the 
fact that our mountain grasses must possess nutritious qual- 
ities of marvelous worth. To raise cattle, horses and sheep 
was, for our earliest settlers, an easy matter, but to keep them 
was quite a different proposition, for the Indian had little 
respect for the rights of ownership, and no horse was safe 
beyond the reach of a bullet from his owner's trusty rifle. 
When the white man came to stay he brought vast herds of 
cattle that thrived upon the open ranges without care or at- 
tention on the strong and nutritious grasses. Fast following 
on these early days of settlement, of danger and accumulation, 
came the "boom" in the cattle business during the '80s, marked 
by the investment of millions of dollars by men who knew noth- 
ing of the business in which they so recklessly embarked. 
About 1886-87 settlers, having fenced in the rivers and creeks, 
thus cutting off the winter shelter, and the range having been 
overstocked, this, together with an exceptionally hard winter 
and short feed, caused disaster to overtake us, and reduced a 
profitable business to bankruptcy. The period of unwarranted 
speculation, fancy prices and extravagant waste was of short 
duration, and, naturally enough, was followed by rapid depres- 
sion of prices and the consequent failures of the inexperienced. 
And yet, deplorable as were the results, this bitter experience 
teaches no new lesson in domestic economy ; neither does it in 
any way detract from the material advantages which this State 
offers to anyone who would embark in stock raising as a legit- 
imate enterprise. 

Following this appeared the ranchmen of moderate means, 
having smaller herds of cattle, who had learned from bitter 
experience that feed must be provided for severe winters. Thus 
ranches were settled and irrigated — alfalfa, hay and other feed 
provided — rendering the business that was formerly so pre- 
carious a safe and steady avocation, and one that is rapidly 
giving our people wealth and independence. 



Live Stock. 39 

The live stock industry has been the most remunerative 
business of this section of the West; mining and agriculture 
are fast becoming close competitors. As to which branch of 
the business — cattle, sheep or horses — one should adopt, no 
advice can be given. One should follow that for which he is 
best adapted. Large fortunes and many comfortable com- 
petencies have been and are being made in each branch. 

CATTLE. 

The question has often been asked, what is the best animal 
to purchase for cattle? That can be answered by the advocates 
of each breed, and has been settled to the satisfaction of each 
advocate that his particular animal is the best suited for the 
range and pasture. But it can be said that all "beef" breeds 
do well — beef is the main object of cattle growing in this State. 
Many claim that the Hereford is a hardier animal and a better 
^'rustier" after feed during the winter than any other breed, 
and they are much in favor with those who have used them. 
Others claim for the Shorthorns that they are as good, will 
stand as much hardship and go through the winter just as well 
and will give more beef per animal. Some Galloway and a few 
Polled Angus have been brought into the State. Each has 
done well — neither has come into general use. 

The stockmen have been breeding higher grades of late 
years, and there are now many registered animals in the State. 

SHEEP. 

Since 1883 the sheep industry has grown enormously, and 
many heretofore poor men have become rich, some owning as 
many as 65,000 head. Sheep are grazed in the mountains in 
the summer, and in the winter upon the plains, where they 
find the cured grass, as Nature provides it, together with the 
browse furnished by the sage brush. A sheep man needs no 
ranch and makes no preparations in the way of harvested feed 
for the winter, but, like Abraham of old, moves about with his 
flocks, in the summer living in tents in the cool shades of the 
mountains, and in winter in a "sheep wagon," which is fully 
equipped with spring bed, stove and kitchen outfit. Sheep 
are subject to no disease except scab, which is easily cured 
with proper attention. The wool, at ten cents per pound, a lit- 
tle more than pays all the cost of running the sheep a year, so 
that the increase and mutton are the accumulated net profit. 

Wyoming leads all the Western States and Territories in 
the price per head of its sheep, and leads every State in the 
Union in total value of its sheep, the number and value of its 



40 The State of Wyoming. 

lambs, and the amount and value of its wool clip, and the 
average weight of fleece produced. 

Wyoming is also a close third in the number of its sheep^ 
New Mexico and Montana leading by only a few thousand. 

HORSES. 

It has been proven beyond question that horses raised on 
the foothills and mountains, in the pure light air of an eleva- 
tion of from 5,000 to 10,000 feet, have better lungs, stronger 
and better developed bone and muscle, and tougher hoofs, than 
horses from any other country. This is borne out by the fact 
that not only the United States government, during the Spanish 
war and since, but the English government, for service in 
South Africa, have purchased as many thousand head of 
horses in Wyoming as could be obtained. 

No horse in the world can compete with the Wyoming 
horse in endurance of all kinds of hardship to which horse 
flesh is subjected by man. This is a broad statement, but we 
make it without fear of refutation ; every horseman and horse 
in the State stands ready to back it up. 

Embracing about 98,000 square miles of territory, nearly 
every acre of which is clothed in a mantle of the most nutri- 
tious grasses and sage brush browse, Wyoming presents a ter- 
ritory for grazing purposes 40 per cent, larger than is found in 
all the Eastern States combined. Add to this vast food supply 
the most delightful climate in the world, with cool summers 
and dry, mild winters, and it is but little wonder that Wyo- 
ming has been called the "Stockman's Paradise," and that it 
has become an important factor in supplying beef, mutton and 
wool to the Eastern and Western markets. 

The requisites for success in the business are a few cattle^ 
sheep or horses, and attention to their wants under the condi- 
tions of the country and climate. The man who can do this, 
for a few years will, with common prudence, find himself in- 
dependent of the world, and his old age may be spent in peace 
and with plenty. 

The cut on opposite page is a picture of "Wyoming," the 
horse presented by the City of Douglas to President Roosevelt 
when he made his famous sixty-mile ride during his visit to the 
State last May. 

This horse, taken from the range, is a marvel of equine 
intelligence, is possessed of five different gaits, and is a swift 
and easy traveler. The horse is now in the White House 
stables in Washington. 

Wyoming horses are unexcelled. 



^TixERAL Resources. 



41 




" Wyoming," the Horse Presented to President Roosevelt. 



Mineral Resources. 



There are few States in the Union that possess mineral 
resources as vast and varied as those of Wyoming. The late 
Prof. Knight of the State University identified 156 of the 
varieties of mineral noted in Dana's System of Minerology as 
occurring in Wyoming, and this list is constantly being added 
to as the different formations are opened up and understood. 

Gold, silver, copper and lead all have been known for 
years in almost every mountain range in the State, and the 
work of the past two years has demonstrated beyond a doubt 
that these ores exist in commercial quantities. 

The crying need of these resources is railroad transporta- 
tion, as both the quantity and quality are assured facts, and it 



42 The State of Wyoming. 

only remains to get them to market. With the railroads will 
come the up-to-date mining investor, with means and brains 
to make a producing mine out of the long neglected prospects. 
There is not another Rocky Mountain State with greater 
possibilities than Wyoming, or that offers better opportuni- 
ties for mineral investments; certainly none with so much 
public domain subject to location as mineral land, and, besides 
the precious metals, the wealth of coal, oil and natural gas will 
some day make Wyoming as great a producing and manu- 
facturing State as Pennsylvania is today. 

Gold Mining. — Gold mines were first worked at South 
Pass, Fremont County, in 1867, since which date the industry 
has amounted to something each year. The annual production 
has fluctuated from $25,000 to $125,000, the total being esti- 
mated at $4,000,000 produced. 

The placer mines that were rich enough to be worked with 
limited means were worked out long ago. Large tracts of 
placer gold ground, that can only be worked with great ex- 
penditure of money and the most modern and economical de- 
vices, remain. These are now owned by large companies, 
who are arranging to work some of them. The quartz veins, 
from which most of the gold produced has been taken, are 
found in all the mountain districts, the most promising of 
which are as follows : South Pass and Atlantic, in Fremont 
County; Seminoe, Medicine Bow and Sierra Madre Moun- 
tains, in Carbon County ; Black Hills, Crook County ; Sho- 
shone Mountains, Big Horn County, and the Laramie Hills. 

Silver and Lead. — These metals are found in small quan- 
tities in all the prominent ranges. Galena is the usual ore car- 
rying silver, but at the Esterbrook mine, in northern Albany 
County, a vein of cerusite or silicious lead carbonate has been 
found. The silver values vary from ten to six hundred ounces 
per ton, and the lead from twenty to sixty per cent, in com- 
mercial ores. Shipments have been made from camps in 
Crook, Big Horn, Albany and Laramie Counties. 

Copper, — During the past four years copper in commer- 
cial quantities has been found in nearly all of the thirteen coun- 
ties of the State and development work is being actively 
pushed. The principal ore is usually a chalcopyrite or yellow 
sulphide of copper, associated with the rarer forms. These 
forms are usually covered by a capping of oxidized iron, in 
which the oxidized forms of copper, usually the blue and green 
carbonates, are found. The Grand Encampment Copper Dis- 
trict, in Southern Wyoming, is the leading producer, and act- 



Mineral Resources. 43 

ive camps are established in the Laramie Hills, Shoshone 
Mountains, Dwl Mountains, the Wind River Range and the 
Big Horn [Mountains. 

Coal. — Coal mining has been the leading mineral industry 
in the State, and will, in all probability, continue in the front 
rank for a time, though copper is fast gaining upon it. It had 
its origin with the advent of the transcontinental railroad, and 
has increased with the development of the State, until today it 
employs an army of workmen and has a product of 4,602,929 
tons of coal per annum. 

The kinds of coal vary from a pure lignite to a high grade 
long-flamed bituminous ^■ariety. The best grades of coal are 
low in sulphur and ash, and are excellent fuels for locomotives, 
general steam making, domestic purposes and gas production. 

A semi-anthracite was discovered in Johnson County in 
1887. Coking coal has been discovered in two or three localities, 
and seventy-four Beehive coke ovens are operated at Cambria, 
Weston County, having an output of over 20,000 tons per 
annum. 

All coke so far manufactured in this State has been made 
at Cambria, and Wyoming stands eleventh in the coke produc- 
ing States. 

The coal fields are so universal that commercial coal is 
known to exist in every county, and, in all but one, coal mines 
are worked. The area of workable coal land is over 20,000 
square miles. The coal veins are numerous. It is not an un- 
common thing to find six or eight workable veins in a single 
field. In thickness the seams vary from a few to seventy-five 
feet. The coal mines operated at present have working veins 
varying from four to forty feet. The coal lands are owned, to 
a large extent, by the government, but are subject to location. 
Already three great railroads have penetrated these fields, 
but the industry has only started, and by the close of another 
quarter of a century Wyoming will be producing not less than 
10,000,000 tons of coal per annum. 

Wyoming stands twelfth in the list of coal producing 
States, and while the amount produced in other States has re- 
mained stationary in the past two years, the amount produced 
in Wyoming has increased twenty per cent. 



44 



The State: of Wyoming. 



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jNIineral Resources. 45 

Statement of Coal Output for Year Ending September 30, 1903. 

Output of Number of 
Name of Mine or Company. INIines, Tons. Employees. 

Rock Springs. Xo. i 328,463 534 

Rock Springs, Xo. 2 I2i,335 233 

Rock Springs. Xo. 7 189,737 216 

Rock Springs, Xo. 8 218,443 243 

Rock Springs, Xo. 9 208,240 263 

Rock Springs, No. 10 248,474 212 

Diamond Coal and Coke Co., Xo. i . . . 284,280 297 

Diamond Coal and Coke Co., Xo. 2. . . 176,376 120 

Diamond Coal and Coke Co., Xo. 4. . . 82,016 24 

Cumberland, Xo. i 264,860 340 

Cumberland, Xo. 2 522,577 376 

Kemmerer, Xo. i 167,405 197 

Kemmerer Xo. 3 72,27,4 129 

Hanna, Xo. i 325,656 400 

Spring \'alley, Xo. i 119,511 190 

Sweetwater, Xo. i 143,677 189 

Number Five 7,555 20 

Sheridan Coal Mining Co 457,493 600 

Cambria ^Mining Co 419,586 800 

Glenrock Coal Co 90,543 150 

Muddy Coal Co 14,000 50 

Aladdin ]\line 10,468 40 

Mined at Thermopolis, Meeteetse, 
Cody, Sheridan, Douglas, Casper, 
Lander and other places not re- 
ported (estimated) 30,000 100 

Totals 4,602,929 5,723 

Natural Gas. — Accompanying the oil fields are numerous 
natural gas horizons. The gas pressure in the oil wells near 
Lander is very great and gas escapes are found at or near most 
of the oil springs. At Brenning Basin, near Douglas, in Con- 
verse County, a flow of gas has been struck in two wells, at a 
depth of 500 feet, and the gas has been piped and used for fuel 
and light in the vicinity, a pressure of 300 pounds per square 
inch having been noted. In the eastern part of Fremont 
County there are two natural gas escapes that are wonders. 
Some prospectors have dug shallow shafts and curbed them up 
with logs ; the shafts are partially filled with water and the 
gas escapes with such violence as to cause the water in them 
to boil as though in a cauldron. There are numerous anti- 



46 The State of Wyoming. 

clinals in the State that are not associated with the oil dis- 
tricts, where large flows of gas may be looked for. 

Bituminous Shale. — In the Green River Valley and at 
Rock Springs there are great bands of rich bituminous shale, 
that equal the shales of Scotland, where an army of men are 
employed and the production is sold for millions of dollars 
per annum. The shales are burnt in a retort, and the products 
saved are gas, oil, tar and ammonium sulphate. The richest 
of these shales assay 45 per cent, of volatile matter. This in- 
dustry will, at no very distant date, prove to be a very val- 
uable one to the State. 

Volcanic Ash. — In several localities in Wyoming volcanic 
ash has been found. In Albany County, near Laramie, there 
is a bed four feet in depth. It is almost white and is so fine 
that the greater portion of it will pass through a lOO-mesh 
sieve. Samples of equal purity have been examined from 
Carbon and Sweetwater Counties. This material is used for 
scouring purposes. It is the base of sapolio, and is also used 
in the geyserite soap. 

Graphite. — Veins of graphite are known at French Creek, 
Plumbago Canon and Halleck Canon, in Albany County, and 
in the Indian Grove Mountains, in Carbon County. The veins 
are large and easily accessible. Analyses of samples from the 
various localities show the carbon contents to vary from 40 
to 60 per cent. So far as known, the ore is of the amorphous 
variety and would make good fire-proof paint, stove polish or 
graphite crucibles. 

Asphaltum. — Along the north side of the Rattlesnake 
Mountains there are several deposits of asphaltum that occur 
below the oil springs. There are also places where the as- 
phaltum has penetrated loose rock and earth. The beds are 
not very extensive, but are sufficiently large to pay for open- 
ing. There is also another bed on the Shoshone Reservation, 
east of Fort Washakie. This has been formed about an oil 
spring and contains several thousand tons. No attempt has 
been made to work the deposits. The quality is excellent, 
quite free from foreign matter, and it would make a splendid 
paving material. There are several small deposits in Uinta 
County. 

Manganese Ores. — Ores that fall under this class have 
been found in Albany, Crook, Sweetwater and Uinta Coun- 
ties. The development is only slight, since the discoveries 
are too far from railroads to warrant shipments. The ores 



MixKRAL Rksources. 47 

are good grade, and are found in good sized veins. Samples 
from different localities vary from 40 to 55 per cent, man- 
ganese. 

Epsom Salts. — Epsom salts can be found in small quan- 
tities throughout the arid region, but in Wyoming it is found 
in large beds. Near Rock Creek there is a depression contain- 
ing about ninety acres that is covered with this salt. The 
exact depth is not known. In this immediate vicinity there 
are several other beds, the total area of the Epsom Salt Lakes 
being given at 160 acres. The salt is as pure as the com- 
mercial product that sells in our drug stores for ten cents per 
ounce. These deposits are near the railroad, and, if properly 
handled, should enable a company to control the epsom salt 
trade of America. 

Building Stone. — Building stones of innumerable varie- 
ties are common throughout the State. The sandstone quar- 
ries at Rawlins, Carbon County, have a large output, which 
is shipped to Colorado, Utah and Nebraska. The Capitol and 
Federal buildings at Cheyenne and the State Penitentiary are 
built of this stone. In Laramie County the Iron Mountain 
quarries furnish a beautiful white stone, which is much in 
favor. Granite, sandstone, limestone, quartzites, serpentine 
marble and marble onyx are included in the varieties. The 
majority of these 'are found in inexhaustible beds, and are 
unsurpassed for beauty and durability. There is no reason 
why the stone industry of Wyoming should not compare 
favorably with that of any State. 

Gypsum. — This mineral is very common and is found in 
all varieties. Beds varying from 20 to 100 feet in thickness 
are exposed along the mountain ranges. The mineral is very 
pure, and can be utilized for purposes where gypsum is re- 
quired. 

Plaster of Paris. — The Rocky Mountain Plaster Company 
is operating a plaster mill at Red Buttes, which is the only 
one in the State. There is room and material in sight to sup- 
ply a thousand mills ; in fact, Wyoming could furnish the 
world with plaster of paris for a thousand years, and then not 
consider the beds exhausted. 

Natural Plaster. — In a few localities deposits of what has 
been called a natural plaster have been found. The mineral 
occurs in superficial deposits, varying from two to six feet in 
depth. It is pulverulent and has a light gray color. When a 
portion of the water has been driven off, it sets and forms a 



48 The State oe Wyoming. 

very hard cement. The Standard Plaster Company of Lar- 
amie is manufacturing a plaster from beds recently opened 
near Laramie, and no doubt in numerous other localities beds 
of this natural plaster will be found when prospected for. This 
industry has more than doubled in the last eighteen months. 

Clays. — Pressed and common brick are manufactured in 
the State, but at present there are no other clay industries. 
The clay beds are in abundance and are found in every county 
in the State. Common brick clay, fire clay, tile and terra cotta 
clay and potters' clay are found in thick beds in the sedimentary 
rocks, and not in superficial deposits, as they are usually seen in 
the Northern and Eastern States. Bentonite, or "soap clay," is 
found in many parts of the State, and shipments have been 
made from the beds at Rock Creek, Albany County, and New- 
castle, Weston County, a number of cars being shipped every 
year from each place. This clay is used as an adulterant, as 
a filler in paper making and for medical purposes, being 
worked up and sold under the name of "x\ntiphlogistine." 
The Rawlins Pressed Brick Company makes a very fine qual- 
ity of pressed brick. A similar brick is made at Laramie, 
Cheyenne, Douglas and other points where the clays have 
been investigated and their worth proven. Nearly every small 
town has brick yards in the immediate vicinity, as the clays are 
universal, and some remarkably fine comfnercial brick are 
made. The clay also makes very fine tiling for floors, fire- 
places and all kinds of pottery and piping. 

Tin. — Black oxide of tin has been known in veins and as 
stream tin in the Wyoming portion of the Black Hills for 
many years. Tons of stream tin have been mined and sold. 
The veins are slightly developed. Prior to the failure of the 
Dakota tin mining companies, the prospects on the west side 
of the hills were considered quite valuable. There are good 
veins of tin of average richness, and before many years the tin 
mines of Dakota and Wyoming will be worked. Wyoming 
gained a medal at the World's Fair for her exhibit of stream tin. 

Salt. — Near Cambria, W^eston County, a plant has been 
built to manufacture salt from Salt Springs, the water of which 
contains twenty-two per cent, salt, and other springs equally 
fine are noted in Johnson and Uinta Counties. In the latter 
place salt is produced for local consumption. 

Quartz. — The Laramie Mountains abound in large veins 
of pure quartz. Wlien ground, it is valuable for glass making. 

Glass Sand. — There are numerous places in the State where 
glass sand is found. The beds near Laramie have been worked 
and proven. 



Mineral Resources. 49 

Mica. — Muscovite mica, the mica of commerce, is very 
plentiful in Wyoming, but there are only a few localities where 
it has been found in "book" of sufficient size to warrant mining. 
In \\'halen Canon, some eight or ten miles from Hartville, and 
at Grand Encampment, there are numerous large veins of feld- 
spar containing first-class mica. The former has been worked 
to some extent and a small shipment made. Sheets squaring 
six inches have been taken out near the surface. It is first 
quality in every respect. 

Feldspar. — Orthoclase feldspar occurs in large veins in 
Whalen Canon. It is free from detrimental minerals and could 
be used for all purposes where orthoclase could be used. 

Sulphur. — Extensive deposits of native sulphur are known 
in Uinta County. While claims are held by prospectors, no 
attempt has been made to refine the crude brimtsone, which 
assays from 40 to 70 per cent, of sulphur. There are also very 
extensive deposits above Cody on the Shoshone River, and on 
Sunlight Creek, north of Cody. 

Bismuth. — Bismuth ore of rare purity has been mined at 
Jelm Mountain, and shipped to the East for reduction. The 
ore is a mixture of carbonates and metallic bismuth, and assays 
from 50 to 65 per cent. 

Sulphate of Aluminum. — This mineral, which is usually 
called native alum, occurs in extensive deposits in Sweetwater 
and Big Horn Counties. It is the principal salt used in manu- 
facturing commercial alums, and for this purpose it should be 
used in connection with the natural soda. 

Fibrous Talc. — A very large vein of fibrous talc exists in 
the range of mountains west of Wheatland. The quality is ex- 
cellent. This mineral is used extensively in the East, and as 
soon as the proper transportation can be furnished the Wyo- 
ming deposits will be worked. 

Decomposed Granite. — Some seven years ago the Union 
Pacific Railroad Company commenced loading decomposed 
granite from a point near Sherman and hauling it out as bal- 
last. It was found to be far superior to any other stone for 
this purpose. In 1900 the company loaded 500,000 tons, the 
most of which was used for railroad purposes ; but it was also, 
to some extent, sold for road building in cities, a use to which 
it is well adapted and for which it will, in the near future, be 
extensively used. 



50 The State of Wyoming. 

Natural Pigments. — Soft iron ores have been used for red 
paint for years. For many years paint mills were operated at 
Rawlins. The Brooklyn bridge was originally painted with 
this paint. More recently the ore has been shipped to other 
States to be ground. The soft hematite ores are in large bodies 
and make a first-class paint. Ochres of various shades are 
known, but the beds have not been worked. Graphite and the 
low grade asbestos that would make an excellent fire-proof 
paint are found in large bodies. 

Semi-Precious Stones. — The semi-precious stones are in 
abundance. Quartz crystals, agates, jaspers, moss-agates, pet- 
rified wood, garnets and beryls are the important ones. The 
moss-agates are the best found in the world. A beautiful col- 
lection of these stones, which took medals at the World's Fair 
in 1893, may be seen at the State Capitol at Cheyenne. Thus 
far no precious stones have been reported. 

Asbestos. — There are two minerals called asbestos, one a 
serpentine and the other amphibole. The latter is the true as- 
bestos, but the former is sold under the same name and used in 
the same way. The asbestos that is found in Wyoming, with 
the exception of small specimens, belongs to the serpentine 
variety and is known as crysolite. Valuable deposits of this 
mineral have been found in Natrona, Albany and Carbon Coun- 
ties. Natrona County has marketed some of the mineral, and 
with a railroad into the central portion of the State, a trade in 
this mineral can readily be built up, as workable deposits are 
known to exist north of Laramie Peak in the Seminoe Moun- 
tains. 

Natural Soda. — Extensive deposits of natural soda are 
known in Carbon, Natrona and Albany Counties. Numerous 
springs contain considerable soda, and at Green River a well 
yields a saturated solution of sodium carbonate, which is 
shipped by the car load. The deposits vary in size from a few 
to one hvmdred acres, and the soda ranges from a few inches 
to sixteen feet, and possibly more. These deposits are chiefly 
sodium sulphate, but there are carbonates and bi-carbonates 
in some localities. x\long the Sweetwater Ri^-er there nre de- 
posits that contain sixty per cent, carbonate of soda. Attempts 
have been made to work these great deposits of soda, but so far, 
owing to lack of railroad facilities, they have not been suc- 
cessful. The sulphate, when dried and calcined, has been sold 
in the East for glass making, and was used at the Laramie Glass 
Factory. With proper machinery, these great beds of soda can 
be utilized and would bring in a large revenue. 



Mineral Resources. 51 

The most valuable natural soda discovered in Wyoming is 
what is known as sodium carbonate, or the sal soda of com- 
merce, and can be derived in inexhaustible quantities from 
wells, averaging a depth of two hundred feet, at Green Ri\er, 
the county seat of Sweetwater County, and on the line of the 
Union Pacific railroad. Samples of water taken from num- 
erous wells at Green River yield an analysis of twenty per 
cent, of sal soda crystals. Prof. Gilbert C. Wheeler of Chicago, 
a chemist of acknowledged reputation, furnishes the Green 
River Fuel and Oil Company with the following analysis of the 
crude soda of Green River : 

Silica 0.51 

Iron and aluminum 0.42 

Calcium 0.64 

Magnesium 0.27 

Insoluble residue 0.23 

Water 22.57 

Anhydrous carbonate of soda 75-36 

100.00 
This is practically more pure than the sal soda of commerce 
and the cheapness with which it can be produced by simple 
evaporation offers great inducement for the investment of 
capital. 

Mineral Springs. — Wyoming is prominent for her mineral 
springs. If we take into our estimate the Yellowstone Park, 
this alone surpasses the rest of the world in the number and 
magnificence of its waters. The mineral springs include hot, 
cold, sulphur, iron and the alkaline earths, and genuine mud 
springs. Notable ones, but by no means the most important, 
are at Death Lake, where they number more than four hun- 
dred. 

A group of some fifty famous hot springs in the Platte 
Valley at Saratoga, in Carbon County, have a temperature of 
130 degrees F., have been extensively improved and have 
been used for twenty years to the great benefit of the invalid 
visitor. The waters contain sulphur, alkalies, salts and salts 
of iron. (See article on Carbon County.) 

At Thermopolis, in the Big Horn Basin, the hot springs 
have an analysis nearly identical with the waters at the Hot 
Springs, Arkansas. These are protected by State law, and are 
under the control of the Board of Charities and Reform. 

A famous hot spring is located two miles west of Fort 
Washakie, on the Shoshone Reservation. This spring is 320 
feet long by 250 feet broad, with an average temperature of 



52 The State of Wyoming. 

149 degrees F. The minerals held in solution are medicinal. 
It i^ held in great repute by both whites and Indians as cura- 
tive of rheumatism and neuralgia. 

In Beaver Canon, north of Sheep Mountain, a sulphur 
spring, with a temperature of 90 degrees F., is found, and 
near by are cold springs, which contain soda in solution, sul- 
phur, iron compounds, sulphuretted hydrogen, gases and car- 
i)onic acid. Another equally large, of sulphur, having a tem- 
perature of 97 degrees F., exists in Fremont County, and is 
much sought by people outside of the State suffering with 
:stomach, kidney, liver and bowel disorders. 

A spring with a temperature of 108 degrees F. is located 
ten miles below old Fort Laramie ; another at the head of 
West Horse Creek, whose temperature is 104 degrees F. ; 
still another in the Platte Canon, at the east end of the Semi- 
iioe Mountains, having a temperature of 98 degrees F. There 
are many other springs scattered throughout the State, whose 
analysis suggests that they possess valuable medicinal qual- 
ities, but owing to the limited number of people, lack of trans- 
portation and consequent small demand for mineral water, it 
has been impossible to develop many of them. Mention should 
also be made of the cold springs containing sulphur, carbonic 
acid and iron, which are found near Rawlins and at Evanston. 
At the headwaters of the South Powder and along Salt Creek 
are found a large number of salt springs, which also contain 
sulphate of soda in solution. 

Limestone. — The unprecedented demand for a pure lime- 
stone, to be used in the sugar beet factories in Colorado, has 
developed a trade at Laramie, Albany County, and Hartville, 
Laramie County, and some thousands of tons are shipped 
annually from these quarries. The limestone is very pure, 
containing 98 per cent, calcium carbonate, with very little 
silica, or injurious materials. This same stone exists in many 
other parts of the State, and factories may be assured of a 
constant supply in almost any locality where the beets can 
he grown. 

Iron, — Second to those of no State in the Union are the 
■deposits of iron ore. Prospecting along this line has not been 
carried on to aily extent, and only iron districts reasonably 
near the railroad have received any attention. The greatest 
deposits are the red hematite, quite free from sulphur and 
phosphorus, and quite low in silica. The only districts where 
development or mining has been carried on are Hartville, 
Rawlins and Seminoe. In these camps are large deposits of 



MiXKRAL RkSOL'RCIvS. 55 

soft ore, which makes an excellent pigment. The hard ores 
are found beneath the surface in bodies varying from ten to 
one hundred feet in thickness. Rawlins and Hartville or 
Guernsey have furnished thousands of tons of ore to be used 
by the Salt Lake and Denver smelters as a flux for lead and 
copper smelting, and two railroads have been built to the 
Hartville mines. Besides the hematite, there are great de- 
posits of magnetite in the Laramie Mountains, and beds of 
clay ironstone in the cretaceous rocks in several localities. 
Hematite ore has been found in Crook, Uinta, Johnson. Fre- 
mont, Big Horn, Albany and Sheridan Counties. The ores 
examined are of exceptional purity, but because of lack of 
transportation facilities, the deposits have not been opened 
up or worked on a commercial scale. 

Iron Mines at Guernsey. — The Hart\ille iron range in Lar- 
amie County, now known throughout the country as containing 
the finest and most extensive deposits of Bessemer steel ores in 
the world, has become a scene of vast operations. Tavo rail- 
roads, the Burlington and the Colorado and Wyoming, have 
been built into these great iron fields. The mines now being 
worked are owned by the Wyoming Railway and Iron Com- 
pany and held under lease by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Com- 
pany. This company has a capital of $25,000,000, and is rapidly 
enlarging its plant at Pueblo, Colorado, making it one of the 
largest in the country. The mines are located at Sunrise, in 
the center of the iron belt, where a town has been built, and 
the work is progressing on an extensive scale. 

The ore is mined in great open cuts, where the ore is 
blasted down from the sides and loaded into cars by steam 
shovels, three of which are in active use daily ; the cars being 
run into the cuts on side tracks from the main railroad and the 
ore shipped direct from the cuts with as little handling as pos- 
sible. In this manner over 400,000 gross tons of ore have been 
mined, which, at a mine value of $1.50 per ton, gives $66o,ooa 
worth of crude iron ore. During the past year a three compart- 
ment shaft, 350 feet deep, has been sunk, and three levels started 
to develop the underlying beds of iron ore hitherto neglected. 
This department will greatly increase the output of the mines 
and be a permanent part of the work. 

The known area of the iron belt, which begins at Guernsey,, 
on the south, and runs to the head of Whalen Canon, in a north- 
easterly direction, ten miles, with an average width of three 
miles, covers thirty square miles. The greatness of the deposit 
is shown by the fact that, although the Colorado Fuel and Iron- 
Company has a lease of seventy-two patented mines, the pres- 
ent enormous output is obtained by working only two mines. 



54 The State of Wyoming. 

The ores are exceptionally pure and of the highest grade 
known, showing from 65 to 68 per cent, metallic iron, from two 
and one-half to five per cent, silica, and are practically free from 
sulphur and phosphorus. 

Rawlins Hematite. — Two miles north of Rawlins, Carbon 
County, there is a large deposit of red hematite ore, occurring 
in a metamorphosed sandstone capped with limestone. The 
ore is remarkably pure. In this vicinity there are several other 
locations which contain similar deposits. 

Analysis of Rawlins Hematite, 

Peroxide of iron 94.22 

Silica 1.71 

Sulphur 1 .24 

Phosphorus Trace . 

Titanic acid None 

Water 37 

Ca, Mg and Mn No estimate 

Seminoe Iron Deposits. — One of the largest deposits of 
iron in Wyoming occurs in the Seminoe Mountains, at the foot 
of Bradley's Peak, Carbon County. Bradley's Peak had been 
called a mountain or iron ore, containing not less than 1,500,000 
tons, and when development is begun here this locality will 
furnish an important part of the iron ore to be smelted in 
Wyoming, as this ore can be mined and loaded in the cars 
for fifteen cents per ton. 

The following composition analysis shows the superiority 
of Wyoming iron over other irons of repute : 

Seminoe. Pilot Knob. Lake Superior. 

Iron 67.66 59-15 60.69 

Oxygen 28.99 25.23 26.01 

Silica y2 13-27 9.82 

Lime 1.23 .21 .57 

Magnesia 68 .14 .24 

Alumina 21 2.19 1.64 

Titanic acid 04 .... .... 

Phosphoric oxide .04 .14 

Sulphur .... .02 

Four-ninths of the phosphoric oxide is the amount of phos- 
phorus. 



Mineral Resources. 55 

GOLD DISTRICTS. 
The South Pass Gold District, Fremont County. 

This district is situated in the south central part of Fre- 
mont County, Wyoming, near the southern end of the Wind 
River range of mountains and about sixty miles in a direct line 
north of Point of Rocks station on the Union Pacific railroad, 
the nearest railroad point. 

Gold was discovered in this region in 1842. and from that 
time until i8f)i.) efforts were made to work the rich placers 
known to exist there, when the great rush to South Pass oc- 
•curred in the latter year, and the placers rich enough to pay 
when worked on a limited crude scale were promptly worked 
•out and the miners sought other opportunities in the then new 
fields of Colorado and Montana. 

Geology. — The district may be said to consist of an island 
•of metamorphic schists of the Algonkian period lying upon the 
granites of the Archean and with several intrusions of granite 
and dyke rocks in the schists at dififerent localities. The gran- 
ites of this section of the Wind River range are usually the 
common red feldsitic granite, and here show an occasional gray 
granite island or band, usually of limited extent. Dykes of 
diorite and allied rocks are also noted in the granite, but to the 
present time nothing of value has been reported from this 
region. 

The schists show for a distance of about thirty miles long, 
from ten to twelve miles wide, the longer axis bearing north- 
■easterly and southwesterly, in the same general direction as the 
strike of the schists, and with a general dip to the north, varying 
from 45 degrees to the perpendicular. Around these schists 
are the granites on the northwest and the succeeding sedi- 
mentary formations on the northeast and the tertiary forma- 
tions on the southerly sides. The schists vary in composition 
in dififerent parts of the district, but are usually horn-blende 
schists, with some mica schists and chlorite schist associated 
therewith, and, as a rule, these varieties are very fine grained. 
Some tourmaline, pyrite and magnetite are also noted. 

Xearl}^ all the rocks of this region, but especially the above 
mentioned schists, show strong evidence of alteration and 
change, in many instances giving an appearance entirely for- 
eign to the character of rock, but an examination with an ordi- 
nary field lens is often sufficient to determine the true character 
at once. This altering material is usually silica, and where the 
Tocks are w^eathered as on an exposed outcrop, a hard quartzose 



56 The State of Wyoming. 

character is noted, and these are frequently called "dykes," but 
are simply altered schists and frequently carry gold values. 
Dykes occur in these schists, especially at the old Miner's 
Delight mine at Peabody Hill, where diorite and diabase dykes 
are noted ; at the Mary Ellen Hill, near Atlantic ; at the Carissa 
at South Pass, and along the northwesterly edge of the schist 
in the vicinity of the Little Joe, and at Gold Creek. 

At the Miner's Delight dykes of porphyritic material are 
noted, and these extend to the "Rustler belt," north of Atlantic 
City, where the Mormon Crevice and Poitre estate properties 
have produced very rich ore. 

The Carissa Mine at South Pass. — This property, located 
in 1867, has been a phenomenal producer for many years, and 
development work is being carried on at the present time. The 
development consists of some 2,300 feet of drifting, etc., with 
a shaft 384 feet deep ; following the dip to the vein, equipped 
with hoist and necessary appliances for handling the ore. The 
Carissa ore occurs in quartz lenses, lying in the schist, having 
the same dip and strike as the schist, and these lenses occur at 
irregular intervals. This applies principally to the high grade 
ores, as the greatest development has been done on these high 
grade chutes, leaving the low grades to remain intact until the 
proper facilities could be at hand to treat them economically. 

Associated with the quartz lenses are bodies of mineralized 
schist carryiny pay values in gold, and lying between or near 
the lenses have been found schist ores of very high grade, but 
with the usual intervals of lower grade material in the same ore. 

In the upper portion of the Carissa workings the usual 
oxidized ores were found, and these were very rich, as shown 
by the early history of the mine. The ore is run through a ten- 
stamp mill, over amalgamating plates and concentrating tables, 
the concentrates being saved and the tailings settled with a 
view of cyaniding, this process having been experimented with 
and has given most successful results with these ores. The full 
extent of the ores in this mine has not yet been determined, but 
it is without doubt that a great mine is here, and with proper 
development and treatment of the ore, may be yet made a great 
property. 

At South Pass the Franklin, the Curry and the Carry 
Shields and others are lying idle for want of capital to push 
their further development, and are entitled to a close investiga- 
tion. A recent discovery is the Copper Surprise, one mile north 
of the town, where a strong lead has been cut into and shows 
considerable copper pyrites, carrying fair values in gold, that 
promises well for the future. 

Atlantic. — Atlantic City is situated in the central part of 



MixKRAL Resources. 57 

the working district, four miles east of South Pass, and here is 
the working headquarters of the Dexter Mining and Develop- 
ment Company, of Rochester, N. Y., the principal operator here 
at the present time, who have recently added to their original 
large holdings and are now operating the Tabor Grand and 
Dexter Tunnel, besides a number of smaller works for assess- 
ment, etc. This company holds the placer ground on Rock 
Creek of the old Christina Lake Placer Company, taking the 
necessary water for hydraulic working from Christina Lake 
and Rock Creek, using about twenty-five miles of ditches, 
flumes, etc., for the purpose, and a good supply of water is 
secured. 

The Tabor Grand is doing development work and stoping 
ore from a small slope above the main tunnel, the ore being 
treated in a Huntington mill and the tailings held for future 
treatment. 

The Dexter Tunnel is being driven to cross-cut se\'eral 
well defined and well known leads for development purposes, 
and will cut these different leads at depths varying from 217 
feet to 395 feet in a total length of 2,800 feet, some six leads 
crossing the line of the tunnel. 

The Rose Vein is on the line of this tunnel, and when this 
vein is cut good ore may confidently be expected, as the Rose 
has produced some of the richest ore of the district, but what 
has hitherto been one of the most difficult ores to save. 

The Mormon Crevice is another rich lead that crosses the 
tunnel line, and the tunnel will develop a number of properties 
at a depth sufficient to determine beyond a doubt their values 
and extent. 

The Garfield mine is being operated on a more extensive 
scale than ever before, and with new mill and equipment will 
be a producer in a short time. 

The Ground Hog Group on Rock Creek, above Atlantic, is 
one of the best prospects in the district, and shows character- 
istics similar to the Carissa, having the lenses of quartz ore and 
the heavily mineralized schist carrying profitable values. De- 
velopment work only has been done on this property, and it 
has shown up a fine proposition for further development on a 
larger scale. 

Development work has been done on the Mary Ellen, near 
the Tabor Grand, and the ore milled by a Huntington mill with 
success. This vein is a fissure, and shows very rich ore and is 
unique among the bedded veins of this locality, but is evidently 
a valuable property. 

The Pay Rock Group at Peabody Hill shows a number of 
veins, or quartz stringers, in what is evidently a huge bodj' of 



58 The; State of Wyoming. 

ore, but so far developed only to a shallow depth and only on 
the rich streaks. Some 500 feet of development work has been 
done, mostly drifts, and considerable ore taken out, most of 
which milled profitably. A tunnel has been run in some 600 
feet, at a point near the foot of the hill, but has not yet reached 
the vein. 

On the east side of Peabody Hill the old Miner's Delight 
mine is located and is said to have produced $1,000,000 in gold, 
but has been abandoned for years. 

The vein is a fissure from four to six feet wide, associated 
with the coarse crystalline porphyry noted above and contained 
very rich gold values, but was not developed over 200 feet in 
depth, as far as can now be ascertained. This ore was free mill- 
ing and milled on the ground, but no effort was made to do 
economical work and the percentage saved was of small im- 
portance at that time. 

Lewiston. — At this camp, which was opened up in 1879, 
when the famous Burr mine was discovered, development has 
been slow for the past few years, but this season the several 
prominent properties have been taken up by new capitalists 
and renewed activity is apparent. The Burr shows the same 
lens condition hitherto noted and has been very rich, but aside 
from the workings on the original lens, little development has 
taken place. The ore was free milling and easily handled. 

Productions. — The amount of gold produced from twenty- 
eight properties in this district since its discovery is $3,728,000. 
The gold taken from the great placers in the early days of the 
district, before anyone thought of statistics, can only be esti- 
mated and is placed at from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. In this 
locality at the present time there are twelve properties working, 
employing fifty men. 

Other Gold Camps. 

The other gold producing districts in the State are scat- 
tered, and at present are limited in area. Placers are still 
worked on a small scale on the head waters of Snake River, in 
the southern end of Carbon County, and at Welcome Gulch, in 
the eastern edge of Crook County, but the returns are not avail- 
able. In the latter locality lode mining has been active in the 
past year, where the Golden Empire Mining Company has had 
forty men constantly employed doing development work. Tun- 
nels aggregating 7,000 feet long have been constructed and a 
shaft 200 feet deep sunk to supply ore for a twenty-stamp mill. 
The formations noted are the fine grained schists, granites, etc., 



Mineral Resources. 59 

with some intrusions of trachite and allied rocks, overlain with 
limestone and the succeeding sedimentary formations. 

Returns of gold working properties are received from the 
Sunlight mines, in Big Horn County ; from Kirwin, on the head 
of Wood Rver. ajid the South Fork of the Shoshone River, in 
the same county. 

A number of placer works are scattered along the waters 
of the streams in the Wind River and Owl Mountains in Fre- 
mont and Big Horn Counties, and in the Big Horn Mountains 
west of Sheridan some properties have been worked for gold 
in the cement deposits on Bald Mountains. 

At Centennial, Gold Hill and Jelm Mountain, in Albany 
■County, there are a number of properties working for gold 
alone. 

Placers are well known in Carbon. Albany, Big Horn and 
Fremont Counties, and thousands of dollars have been taken 
out in the past, but at present, aside from small bars worked by 
hand or on a limited scale, no work of this sort is now going on, 
as the great areas of placer ground now available require large 
plants, water power and machinery for handling the tailings 
or waste, and this is only possible to large corporations with 
money and brains at their command. 

COPPER DISTRICTS. 

Grand Encampment District. 

The district popularly known as the "Grand Encampment" 
■country lies in the southern part of Carbon County and the 
southwestern corner of Albany County, south of the main line 
of the Union Pacific railroad. 

Mining has been carried on in this region from the earliest 
Tvnown period of the State's settlement, but the first permanent 
Avork was in 1872 in the Kurtz-Chatterton property on Copper 
'Creek, west of where Encampment now stands. It was not 
until 1897-8 that the district became prominent by reason of 
some rich gold ores found in Purgatory Gulch, a small trib- 
utary of the South Fork of the Grand Encampment River, and 
the town of Grand Encampment was started. 

The discovery of the Ferris-Haggarty copper mine on the 
North Fork of Battle Creek followed in the winter of 1898, and 
attention was then turned to copper, with the result that the 
region is being thoroughly exploited and bids fair to become a 
permanent copper producer. 

The district is somewhat irregular in shape. The tract em- 
laraced in the known mineralized country extends along the 
Wyoming-Colorado State line, easterly and westerly, for a dis- 



6o The State of Wyoming. 

tance of about eighty miles, and northerly and southerly for a 
distance of from fifteen miles at Encampment to forty miles at 
Elk Mountain, near Saratoga, comprising about 2,000 square 
miles of mountain and valley. 

The North Platte River, which rises in Colorado, in this 
locality flows northwesterly and divides the district into two 
distinct halves, with a valley some fifteen miles wide lying be- 
tween and watered by numerous tributary streams on each side. 
Parallel with the river are mountain ranges on either side, that 
on the east being known as the Medicine Bow range, and with 
this range a series of approximately parallel or connected 
smaller ranges, such as Elk, Coad and Wood Mountains. 

On the west is the Sierra Madre range, composed of a num- 
ber of similar ranges, known by various local names, and these 
form part of the great Continental Divide. Both these ranges 
enclose numerous parks and valleys, and in the main Platte 
Valley in the Encampment vicinity are a number of smaller 
hills or ranges, forming local divides between the smaller 
streams. 

Geology. — The Sierra Madre Mountains consist of an irreg- 
ular core of granite, with smaller islands and spurs of the same 
material showing both in and through the associated metamor- 
phic formations. The granite is usually of a reddish feldsitic 
variety, in many instances much altered, and showing little 
quartz or mica, but in others showing a predominance of quartz, 
inclining to the gray granites of Colorado, and frequently show- 
ing strong evidences of metamorphism, especially in the out- 
crops, and which is usually limited in extent. 

In the vicinity of Encampment huge veins of white quartz, 
or "bull quartz," are seen, but to the present time nothing of 
importance has been found in this quartz. 

The metamorphic formations consist principally of Algon- 
kian schists, usually lying on the granites and having a varying 
dip and trend or direction in different parts of the district. 
These schists are of a number of varieties, some of which are 
local or limited in extent, the usual schist being a fine grained 
black mica schist, and fine hornblende and tourmaline schist in 
bands varying from a few feet to several hundred feet in width. 
Associated with these varieties have been noted muscovite or 
white mica schists and gneiss, cerisite schist, garnet schist on 
Upper Cow Creek, chlorite schist and amphibolite schist in 
various localities. 

The dyke rocks noted are mainly diorites, som^ diabase and 
allied dark colored dyke rocks. These dykes vary in size from a 
thin band a few inches thick to a huge sheet of several hundred 



Mineral Resources. 6i 

feet in thickness, and generally lie conformably with the ad- 
jacent schist, having the same trend or direction and the same 
dip, but instances are noted, as on Upper Cow Creek and near 
the Syndicate on Savery Creek, where the dykes cut across the 
formation at a varying angle. These dykes are also noted at 
many places in the granite near the New Rambler on Douglas 
Creek and near Encampment and Battle. 

Associated with the schists and diorites are ledges or bands 
of quartzite. which lie conformably with the including schists, 
as far as now known, as at the Ferris-Haggarty mine and at 
Bridger Peak, and are usually of considerable extent. 

In many instances the foregoing rocks (schists, dyke rocks 
and quartzites) often show an extensive and sometimes a com- 
plete metamorphism and change from their original condition 
and composition, leaving only the structure as a means of iden- 
tification, the composing minerals being replaced by silica and 
lime, as the schists near the Ferris-Haggarty are largely re- 
placed by silica, and by lime near the Leighton-Gentry prop- 
erty, on Jack Creek, and the Mohawk, on the North Fork of the 
Grand Encampment River. 

The dyke rocks usually show a weathered and softened con- 
dition in the vicinity of this schist alteration, but this is often 
local and does not affect the main body of the rock. 

The Snowy Range in the Medicine Bow Mountains is dis- 
tinct in formation from the adjacent country, and consists of 
trachite and quartzites, with an occasional dyke of porphyry. 

On either side of the Medicine Bow range the Carbonifer- 
ous limestones are noted, with the succeeding sedimentary for- 
mation dipping away from the main range, until covered by the 
wash of the valley. 

South and west of the Sierra Madre Mountains the sedi- 
mentary sandstones of the Cretaceous are noted, and here is 
found the coal used in the district, noted later. 

Mineralization. — The mineralization may be said to be gen- 
eral throughout the formation just described, but varies in 
quantity and composition in each locality. In the granites, 
schists, dyke rocks and quartzites are found bunches, streaks 
and veins of the different forms of iron and copper, both ox- 
idized and base, varying from a tiny crystal or speck to a huge 
mass a number of tons in weight enclosed in the adjacent rocks, 
which may or may not be part of or related to the body of ore. 

Ore Deposits and Ores. — In a district as little developed as 
the Grand Encampment country it is evident that the precise 
ore conditions may not be fully understood until greater depths 
have been reached and some of each class of ores and ore de- 



62 The State of Wyoming. 

posits fully exploited. At present these are understood to con- 
sist of two classes, viz., ores found in the hard, unchanged for- 
mation, the diorites and unaltered schists, associated with a 
vein quartz, as at the Blakeslee and Verde property, south of 
Battle, as distinguished from the ores found as a contact de- 
posit between two different formations, as the Ferris-Haggarty,. 
Doane-Rambler mines, and a fissure deposit, as the New Ram- 
bler, on Douglas Creek, in a gray granite. The former may be 
termed original ores and the latter secondary ores, or ores of 
replacement. 

In the first case sulphide of copper is found in the out- 
crops, and with but little change beyond the surface oxidizing 
of the specimen and staining the adjacent rock with iron oxides 
and copper carbonates, often leaving the unchanged sulphides 
only covered by a thin film of oxides. 

: In the latter case the sulphides are encountered at "water 
level," viz., the level of permanent underground water, varying 
in depth in different localities and covered by a capping of 
iron oxides, known as the iron cap and the "gossan" of the 
Cornish miner. This cap is usually a light, soft and porous 
brown oxide of iron, or limonite, sometimes silicious and asso- 
ciated with the limonite are noted forms of hematite or red 
oxide in varying quantity. 

In many instances the iron cap contains thin scales of 
native copper and shows stains of the green carbonate of cop- 
per or Malachite and some blue carbonate of copper or Azurite. 
Small amounts of Chrysacolla or silicate of copper are often 
found, as well as some of the rarer forms of the oxidized copper 
minerals, noted later. 

The principal ores are the yellow pyrites of copper or chal- 
copyrite and "peacock copper" or Bornite, as at the Ferris- 
Haggarty, and the Covelite ores of the New Rambler. Some 
phenomenally rich copper glance or chalcocite has been struck, 
mostly near the surface, as in the Keener-Price at Battle, 
the Doane-Rambler and the New Rambler and many other 
places, but in each case the deposit has been limited. 

The works so far have shown that the ores immediately 
succeeding the oxidized ores underlying the iron cap are very 
rich, often running from 35 to 49 per cent, copper in car load 
lots, as shipping returns have shown, but this is evidentlv a 
secondary enrichment, due to the leaching of the iron cap above, 
and gradually gives place to the lower and more permanent 
grade of ore that is reached as depth is gained. 

It is evident that the permanent ores of this district, when 
opened up by deep workings, will prove to be a low grade Chal- 
copyrite ore, suitable for treatment by a concentrating, roasting 
and smelting process. 



^Mineral Resources. 63 

Gold and silver values throughout the district have uni- 
formly been low, although some phenomenally rich gold values 
have been noted in the oxidized ores at Purgatory Gulch, the 
Charter Oak and some others, but with more attention being 
paid to this by-product, a higher grade may be anticipated in 
the future. 

Grand Encampment. — This town is the practical center of 
the mining activity of this region, is pleasantly located, sub- 
stantially built and has about 1,000 population at the present 
time. Here are located the principal supply houses, bank and 
headquarters of the principal companies operating in this dis- 
trict, and is the eastern terminus of the aerial gravity tramway 
from the Ferris-Haggarty mine to the Encampment reduction 
works, the location of the Encampment Power and Light Com- 
pany's works and the other enterprises owned by the North 
American Copper Company. 

Aerial Tramway. — The tramway is sixteen miles in length, 
divided into four sections with three auxiliary power stations, 
one at Upper Cow Creek at the foot of Bridger Peak, one at 
Lower Cow Creek and one four miles west of Encampment. 
These stations are equipped with power plants, storage bins, 
etc., to facilitate the operations of the line. Three hundred and 
four towers, with tension stations at intervals, are used to sup- 
port the cables, which, moving at an average speed of four 
miles an hour, with buckets holding 700 pounds of ore each, are 
capable of delivering 984 tons of ore per day. The towers were 
placed at an average distance of 200 feet apart on regular 
ground, but owing to the rough and varied nature of some of 
the intervening ground, it has been necessary to use some long 
spans, as at Cow Creek crossings, where the spans are 2,000 and 
2,200 feet long, and on adjacent summits it was necessary to 
place a number of towers close together for obvious reasons. 
The terminal stations at the mine and smelter are equipped with 
automatic landing, filling and dumping arrangements, and suf- 
ficient storage capacity is provided to insure a supply of ore 
in case of a break-down in the mine or on the line. 

The Encampment Reduction Works. — These works are lo- 
cated at the tramway terminal, on the west bank of the Grand 
Encampment River, and are favorably situated as regards con- 
venience in operating, handling ores, tailings and slag 
dumps, etc. 

The ore from the receiving bins is delivered to the crushers 
and rolls, passes over rotary sizing screens, the coarse material 
passing over being elevated back to fine rolls, the finer passing 



64 The State of Wyoming. 

through the screens, going on through the mill, and being sized 
and classified by sizers and jigs. The sized product passes over 
W'ilfley concentrating tables for final treatment, and the con- 
centrates are sent to the briqueting plant, the tailings or waste 
being run into a tailing dam and settled. A mechanical straight 
line roaster has been installed to roast the high grade sulphides, 
with a capacity of forty tons per day. 

The smelter consists of two matte furnaces smelting to a 50 
per cent, copper matte, which passes to the converter and is 
blown to blister copper. The entire plant is constructed on a 
500-ton capacity basis, and all power used in the smelter, for 
cranes, etc., is electric, except the blowers and air compressor, 
which are driven direct from water power. Twelve hundred 
horse power can be developed in this plant. This water power 
is furnished from a built wooden pipe, forty-eight inches in 
diameter, which extends from the smelter to a point four miles 
away on the South Fork of the Grand Encampment River, 
where a twenty-nine-foot dam has been erected. The water 
drives five water wheels, some of which connect direct with the 
concentrating mill by shafting and a rope drive to the crushers, 
tables and other machinery. Others are connected direct to the 
electric plant, which is very complete, and supplies power as 
stated above, lights the works and towns of Grand Encamp- 
ment and Riverside. 

The Kurtz-Chatterton mine, west of Encampment, is the 
oldest in the district and has a tunnel 1,700 feet long, with 
numerous drifts, shafts, etc. The ore is a low grade copper 
sulphide in granite, suitable for concentration on an extensive 
scale. 

In this vicinity are the Great Lakes, Norvell-Pickerell, 
Moon-Anchor, Chicago-Venture, Black Tiger, Winona-Rex, 
Sweet and others, which have been working steadily. 

Battle. — Towards Battle the Co-operative Company has 
been sinking on a vein of red iron oxides in schists and quartz- 
ite. This same condition is noted on the Hidden Treasure and 
Gertrude properties, and at intervals shows copper stains, both 
in the capping and quartz. 

A number of other well known properties near Battle are 
the Hercules, Portland, Continental, Copper-Blossom, Big- 
Chief, Blackfoot, Lena Shields, Quo Vadis, Iron King and 
Buelah properties, and these have steam plants. 

South of Battle the Verde property is the most prominent, 
having put in a steam plant and now sinking on the ore, which 
outcrops in a heavy ledge in which sulphide ores of copper are 
found on the surface. 




THE NOTED FERRIS-HAGGARTY AND O SCEOLA MINES, CARBON COUNTY. 



Mineral Resources. 65 

The Lone Fisherman Group on the North Fork of the 
Snake River and the Itmay are active properties. 

The Doane-Rambler has been shipping for several years, 
the past two from development work only, and some very rich 
ore has been taken out. The conditions under which these ores 
are noted are similar to the Ferris-Haggarty ores, the outcrop 
being a light porous limonite, usually stained with copper car- 
bonates and occurring between schist and quartzite. Recently 
some high grade black oxide of copper has been found in a 
quartz vein in the schist. 

The principal ores of the Doane-Rambler are chalcopyrite 
and some bornite, but a number of forms of the sulphides 
have been noted, especially some very high grade copper 
glance or chalcocite, very hard and black, being more like a 
copper matte than ore in appearance. Some of this glance 
showed streaks and specks of unaltered chalcopyrite through it. 
A quantity of covelite was also noted, as well as red and black 
oxides of copper and a great quantity of the carbonates of cop- 
per in the upper workings. 

Some of the richest copper ore in the district has been 
shipped from this mine, and the cars shipped averaged from 
40.7 per cent, to 51 per cent, copper, nearly 400,000 pounds 
of copper being shipped from this mine. New surface works, 
power plant and other works have been put in, and the Doane- 
Rambler is now in shape to go ahead on a sound basis. 

Near the Doane-Rambler several promising prospects are 
located. The Minnie-Mabel and Doane-Verde are among 
these, and below the Rambler several interesting outcrops of 
oxidized iron are noted, some showing copper stains, but 
beyond a few small prospect holes, little, has been done. 

The Ferris-Haggarty mine, which is owned by the North 
American Copper Company, was located in 1898, has pro- 
duced $750,000 in copper and has 280,000 tons of 6 J5er cent, 
to 8 per cent, copper ore, worth $4,740,000, blocked out in the 
mine in a vein twenty feet wide. This ore is found on the 
contact between quartzite and mica-schist, and the character 
of the ore is chalcopyrite or yellow copper pyrites and bor- 
nite or peacock copper. This mine furnishes the ore to the 
Encampment smelter and is the western terminal of the 
aerial tramway to Encampment, and complete surface works, 
power plant and other buildings have been built. Here the 
coal from the mines at Carbondale, twelve miles south, is 
brought and sent to Encampment and vicinity over the tram- 
way. This coal is a lignite, but a good steam and domestic 
coal. In this vicinity a number of promising prospects are 
located. The Bachelder prospect has opened up some high 



66 The State of Wyoming. 

grade ore, and preparations are being made to develop the 
Osceola, Copper Belt and Mutual Company's holdings. 

Many good showings are made from the "Sandstone" 
country west of Dillon, and it should receive the attention of 
prospectors, as there is every probability of opening up some 
profitable works there. 

On Spring Creek the Copper Bar Company have erected 
a steam plant, and the Chippewa Mining Company have been 
doing work on a schist lead showing the usual oxidized sur- 
face condition, but with chalcopyrite carrying galena or lead 
sulphide at a very shallow depth and in considerable quantity. 
The Badger State Company has been sinking on a strong 
vein of quartz carrying copper and lead sulphides in mica 
schist. 

The Syndicate property on Savery Creek is working on 
a contact between an altered schist and diorite dykes. Con- 
siderable copper ore of good grade has been taken out. 

In Purgatory Gulch, situated six miles south of Encamp- 
ment, in 1897, some remarkably rich g'old specimens were 
found, and formed the basis of the excitement which has de- 
veloped into the Grand Encampment copper district. 

The Fremont Copper Company is operating on Dunkard 
Creek and has installed a plant of machinery for sinking an 
inclined shaft on a promising showing. 

The King-of-the-Camp, on the South Fork of the Grand 
Encampment River, is running a cross-cut tunnel to cut a 
quartz lead in schist that carries promising values in gold, 
and is one of the few properties in this locality being worked 
for gold alone. 

Beaver Creek is situated some twelve miles south of En- 
campment, and contains some promising prospects. 

The Aetna, the Evening Star, Bay-Horse, Ruby, News- 
boy and Kearns-Consolidated are prominent properties, have 
steam plants erected and have done considerable work. 

In the Gibraltar prospect, near Big Creek, eighteen miles 
from Encampment, a vein of iron oxides, stained with copper 
carbonates, was opened up and considerable good ore taken out. 

The Cox mine, on Big Creek, has produced some remark- 
able high grade copper ore, and several shipments have been 
made from it. The ore is found in a huge quartzose ledge 
lying conformably with a wide band of schist in the granite 
foothills that are shown in the Platte Valley, distinct from a 
general uplift of the mountains. The usual iron capping was 
found, and the rich copper glance ore, noted above, found, 
with copper carbonates near the surface. With depth, these 
gave place to bornite ore, filling the spaces in the crushed 



Mineral Resources. 67 

and broken quartz, often filling places formerly occupied by 
quartz and feldspar crystals, evidenced by the shape of the 
copper sulphide masses. 

The Charter Oak is one of the oldest properties in the 
district, and is located seven miles north of Encampment, in 
the northern edge of the foothills. Ores consist of sulphides 
in lower and oxidized in upper levels. A shah 488 feet deep 
has been sunk and about 300 feet of drifts run, with a good 
showing of ore. 

Elk Mountain District. 

This is the most northerly of the ranges comprising the 
Medicine Bow range in Wyoming, and is a later uplift than the 
Sierra Madre, on the west side of the Platte. Here the sedi- 
mentary limestones of the Carboniferous period lie on the 
schists and granites of the earlier formations, and at the Elk 
Mountain M. & M. Company's property, on the north side 
of Pass Creek, the ore is found near the contact of these for- 
mations. This ore, in the upper workings, is copper glance, 
occurring in the bunches common to this ore, and in the lower 
workings is giving place to the chalcopyrite, which is becom- 
ing more common as depth is reached. At the outcrops the 
usual iron oxides were found staining the limestone, with 
soine glance and a great deal of green copper carbonates as a 
stain. 

The Cumberland Group on the south end of Coad Moun- 
tain shows a huge ledge of quartzose material, some twenty 
feet wide, lying conformably with the dip and trend of the 
schist and showing a good trace of ore. A tunnel run to cross- 
cut the ore has not yet reached it, but it is believed will show 
a large body of concentrating copper ore at the depth of the 
tunnel, about 1,000 feet on the dip of the vein. 

The Campderdown Group, north of the Cumberland, has a 
remarkable showing of copper ore, similar to the Cumberland, 
both of which are regarded as good development propositions. 

The Great Rambler mine is owned by the Rambler Min- 
ing and Smelting Company, is located on the crest of the 
Medicine Bow range, in Albany County, and was first opened 
up as a gold prospect. In 1900 the first copper was struck at 
a depth of sixty-five feet, and the mine began immediately to 
ship high grade copper ore. The formation containing the 
copper is a dioritic granite, with some micaceous schist in the 
vicinity, but the ore is found in a series of fissures in the 
granite. In common with the other prominent properties in 
Southern Wyoming, the surface and outcrops of the property 



68 The State of Wyoming. 

show the usual oxidized forms of iron, with an occasional cop- 
per stain. The "iron hat," as this capping is called, extends 
to a varying depth and gives place to the various forms of 
copper minerals met with in this mine. The Rambler is a 
veritable museum of copper minerals, and nearly all the known 
forms have been found here either in quantity or as specimens. 
Native copper is noted in sheets often of a dendritic form and 
as small nuggets. Copper carbonates, green and blue, are 
abundant, as well as the silicates of copper. The red oxide of 
copper, Cuprite, and the black oxides, Tenorite and Mala- 
conite, are noted in quantity. Covellite, or "indigo copper," 
is the ore that made this mine famous, as this variety has al- 
ways been a rare form, and seldom, if ever, found in the quan- 
tity in which it occurs in this mine ; the only small specimens 
of this variety are usually found in the different museums of 
minerals. Quantities of a very fine grained copper glance are 
found, carrying minute specks of unaltered chalcopyrite, sim- 
ilar to those noted in the Doane-Rambler mine on Battle 
Creek, in the Sierra Madre range. Many of the other forms 
of copper are noted in small quantities. Platinum has been 
found in the Rambler ores, occurring in the Covellite and 
showing 1.4 oz. of platinum per ton of ore. Palladium has 
also been noted in these ores in the Covellite ores with the 
platinum. The mine has been developed by shafts and drifts, 
and has some 2,800 feet of developed workings. The grade of 
ore at this property has been high, and a number of cars of 
very high grade ore have been shipped, especially that con- 
taining the glance and Covellite. These shipments show 1,928 
dry tons of ore shipped, averaging 19 per cent, copper and 
representing a gross value of $77,622. The general grade of 
the oxidized ores is low, and to treat these ores a matte smelter 
of forty tons per day capacity has been installed. The matte 
made and shipped is given as follows : Six hundred and thirteen 
thousand pounds matte, 249,196 pounds copper, $36,135.41 val- 
ues. The grade of matte shipped varied from 30 to 60 per cent, 
copper and the total amount of copper produced to date is 828,- 
970 pounds. 

Other companies working in this vicinity are the Jupiter, 
Cuprite, Blanche, Duchess, American and a number of others 
are prospecting and doing surface work. 

On Iron Creek a huge ledge of iron oxides is noted out- 
cropping in general as a hard, silicious hematite, but often as- 
sociated with deposits of brown limonite and frequently car- 
rying a small copper value. The shaft sunk by the Ak-Sar-Ben 
Company on this material to a depth of eighty feet is the deep- 
est working and shows a soft condition beneath the capping. 



Mineral Resources. 69 

None of the workings have yet been penetrated through this 
oxidized material, but it is behaved this material is underlaid 
by iron sulphides carrying copper, and this in turn by copper 
sulphide ores. 

Silver Crown, in the Laramie Hills, west of Cheyenne, has 
several promising properties, the Globe mine and the Hecla 
being the most prominent and equipped with steam plants. 
The Hecla Company is working steadily and producing some 
fine ore, and arrangements being made to start their reduction 
works. 

At many places in these hills are working properties. At 
Granite Canon, at the Strong, Michigan, Iconclast, Cooney 
Hill and Slate Creek work is going on with good results. 

North of Laramie Peak a new mining camp is being 
started, and several new plants are working at the corner of 
Laramie, Albany and Converse Counties. 

The Esterbrook is the oldest of these and is sinking a 
shaft in a vein of silicious lead carbonate ore that is giving 
place to copper sulphides as the workings go deeper. Near by 
are the Tenderfoot, Three Cripples, Trail Creek and Pyramid 
mines, each active and with every prospect of success. The 
formation here is schists and granite, and in each localit^- some 
new phase is presented. 

West of the Laramie Peak region is the old Warbonnet 
district, where the Oriole mine is developing a fine showing of 
copper ore. 

East of these works in Whalen Canon, in Laramie County, 
the Sunrise Copper Mining Company is opening up some very 
rich copper ores, and the camps are all prosperous. 

Sunlight Mining District. 

Sunlight Basin, in Big Horn County, is attracting the at- 
tention of miners and prospectors, and considerable work is 
being done around Stinking W^ater Peak, one of the prominent 
peaks of the Absaroka range. This region is located about 
sixty-five miles west and north of Cody, on the B. & M. R. R., 
in the Yellowstone Park Timber Reserve, and about ten or fif- 
teen miles east of the east line of the National Park. 

The formations here are mostly andesites, rhyolites and 
porphyry. Diorite is also noted in some localities ; basalt and 
conglomerates, both in massive sheets and dykes, are found, but 
the minerals have usually been found in the andesites and allied 
rocks. 

Almost all the prospecting up to the present time has been 
in the vicinity of Stinking Water Peak, in an area of about six 



70 The State of Wyoming. 

or seven miles square, covering the heads of Sulphur, Copper 
and Galena Creeks and the North Fork of the Shoshone River. 
The works of the Sunlight Mining Company in Silver Tip 
Basin are the principal works of the region, and consist of three 
tunnels, lOO feet, 250 feet and 900 feet long, respectively, the 
latter being the main working tunnel, being run to cut an ore 
body that shows a surface width of about thirty feet of good 
grade ore. The ore from these works is a quartzose vein mat- 
ter, carrying copper and iron sulphides, mostly chalcopyrite or 
yellow pyrites of copper, with a fair value in gold and silver: 
Some galena or lead sulphide is also found, which is often rich 
in silver. Shipments have been made from this property and 
showed a profitable return even in the face of a wagon haul of 
one hundred miles to the nearest railroad point at Red Lodge, 
Montana, after being packed for four miles down to the road 
from the mines. This region is favorably adapted for tunnel 
methods of mining, and thus prospecting may be carried on at 
all times and seasons, the winters being no more severe than 
in many of the mining regions of Colorado. 

At Kirwin, on the head of Wood River, a number of prom- 
ising copper products are being quietly developed, and under 
conditions somewhat similar to the Sunlight mines. This for- 
mation extends along the eastern line of the National Park to 
the Wind River Mountains, west of Lander, in Fremont 
County, and in this almost unknown land a great many promis- 
ing prospects are situated, from which many samples of very 
fine grade copper ores are sent out. 

In the Owl Mountains, south of Thermopolis, in Copper 
Mountain, a very promising product is being opened up, and in 
the same vicinity a number of others are showing good returns 
for the work done. ' 

The list of promising prospects might be indefinitely con- 
tinued in every mountain range in the State, did space permit, 
but only the most prominent and best known localities are men- 
tioned, and to name all would require a separate publication. 

Production. 

The present laws of Wyoming do not provide that all metal 
productions shall be reported to the State, and it is, therefore, 
impossible to give accurate figures regarding the gold, silver 
and iron productions at the present time. The gold and silver 
of Wyoming has been going to the Denver mint and is credited 
up in the totals to Colorado. This will be corrected by our next 
Legislature. 



Oil. 71 



OIL 



THE LIGHT OF AGES. 



The Boston Journal for Investors says : 

"When it comes to oil, Wyoming certainly bids fair to 
illuminate and lubricate the works of man for generations. The 
eighteen oil fields known in that State present a greater variety 
of product than any similar known area, as it varies from the 
highest grade of lubricating oils without a trace of illuminating- 
constituents to an equally high grade of ilkuninating oil totally 
free from lubricants and with a range of intermediate oils and 
products that is a revelation to oil men." 

In each of the eighteen oil fields oil is flowing from springs, 
or there are thick bands of oil sand exposed. The greater num- 
ber of these fields are situated in the central part of the State, 
but there are fields in the northeastern part, in the southwest- 
ern portion, and in the northern central region. The oils that 
have been analyzed vary in nature from high grade lubricating 
to oils that will produce from 40 to 50 per cent, of kerosene. 

With proper facilities for transportation, the oil industry 
in Wyoming will equal, if not surpass, that of any State. 

The greatest development is found in Natrona County, 
where a lubricating oil is found which has been pronounced 
by experts to be the best in the world ; and in Fremont County, 
where there are thirteen flowing wells, now capped for the want 
of a railroad. At Casper there is a refinery having a capacity 
of 200 barrels of crude oil per day. The product is hauled 
from the wells in wagons that have a carrying capacity of 18,- 
000 pounds, each train of wagons requiring twelve to sixteen 
mules. This greatly adds to the expense of production. At 
present the following oils are manufactured at Casper : Rail- 
road engine, railroad car, railroad valve and railroad signal. 
These oils are the most perfect lubricants, of high endurance, 
highest fire tests, and greatest body and wearing power. Be- 
sides railroad oils, the refinery manufactures other special high 
grade oils, viz. : Stationary engine, valve, spindle oils, dynamo 
oils, watch oils, neutral oils for blending animal and vegetable 
oils, paint oil, visco axle grease, and heavy machine oil for 
mowing machines. The product of eight producing wells 
varies in value from twenty cents to one dollar and fifty cents 
per gallon. 



72 The State; of Wyoming. 

The Bonanza field, in Big Horn County, is attracting a 
great deal of attention, five wells recently drilled struck oil 
at 280 feet. 

Geology. — Lack of space will not permit a thorough de- 
scription of the geological formation of the several fields. Full 
information on this subject may be obtained by addressing a 
request to Miss Grace Raymond Hebard, Secretary of the 
Board of Trustees of the University of Wyoming, at Laramie, 
Wyoming, for Oil Bulletins. The University issues bulletins 
on the Mining Resources of Wyoming, prepared by the Profes- 
sor of Geology from personal field investigation. 

The Pope Agie Oil Field. — This field is situated ten miles 
southeast of Lander, Fremont County, with an elevation of 
5,350 feet ; it covers several townships and extends north to 
Lander. The history of this field is far more interesting than 
any other oil field. The same was discovered by Bonneville 
in 1833, and is the place where the first producing oil well was 
drilled. From the date of Bonneville's visit up to 1867 the oil 
spring was unknown, except to the hunter or trapper, who 
frequented the locality to secure the oil for medicinal, lubricat- 
ing,, illuminating and other purposes. There are now thirteen 
flowing wells, with a capacity each of 200 barrels per twenty- 
four hours ; owned by the Belgo-American Drilling Trust, as 
are also the lubricating oil wells situated on Salt Creek, with 
the refinery at Casper. The oil appears black, is reddish brown 
by transmitted light and has a strong, disagreeable odor. 

Flashing point 90° F. 

Burning point 136° F, 

Specific gravity 900 

Heating power. . . 11,437 calories per gramme 

In refining the products are gasoline and kerosene, about 
35-45 per cent., and the balance lubricating oils and asphaltum. 
The oil is of heavy asphaltum base and suitable for high grade 
fuel, tests giving 14,571,000 foot pounds of energy per pound 
of oil. One pound of this oil will convert 19.40 pounds of 
water at 212 F. degrees into steam. 

Analysis shows the following products : 

Naphtha (gasoline) 2-5 per cent. 

Kerosene, .810-.830 30-40 per cent. 

Lubricating oil, .910-.940 35-50 per cent. 

Paraffin 3-5 per cent. 

Coke 7-10 per cent. 

Gas 10-12 per cent. 








^■'^'"^^"^^-^ 



Oil. 



n 



Lander and Shoshone Oil Fields. — The Lander field joins 
the Popo Agie on the north, and the Shoshone joins the Lander 
on the north, extending into the Wind River Indian Reser- 
vation. 

Distillation oj Lander Petrolcmn. 

500 cubic centimeters of oil taken. Each fraction is 5 per cent. 



No. of fraction 


Boiling 

Point. 

Centigrade 




155-215 




215-2.5 




235-250 




252-2(55 






6 


280-285 




285-29(1 




290-295 
295-aiO 


10 


aiO-325 


11 •. . 

12 

13 


325-340 
340-;i45 


14 . . 


:i55-;j65 


15 


a»55 375 


16 


375 


17 


380 


IS 


:x5 



Specific 
Gravity 



Degree 
Baiinie 



42.8 
40.4 
38.4 

3e.7 

:i5.b 

:i4.t) 

34.4 

3;{.4 

31.0 
31.3 
3a. 2 
30.5 

:«).l 

28.7 
28.5 



124 
148 

180 
202 



25tj 
2?9 
207 
306 
297 
304 
279 
288 

22e , 

135 
135 



Burning 
Point 



144 
171 
200 
229 
252 
275 
279 
288 
315 
•XTi 
;j.53 
333 
333 
364 
351 
270 
184 
184 



Distillation of Shoshone Petroleum. 



500 cubic 


centimeter 


of oil distilled. Each fra 


ction is 


5 per cent. 






No. of fraction 


Boiling 

Point. 

Centigrade 


Specific 
Gravity 


Degree 
Baume 


Flashing 
Point 


Burning 
Point 


Cold Test 




°C. 


°F. 


°C. 


°F. 


°C. 


°F. 




165-265 

2()5-295 

295-305 

305-325 

325-335 

3.35 

335 

325 

315 

305 

255 


.a590 
.8840 
.8888 
.9065 
.9125 
.92:^5 
.9175 
.8800 
.8995 
.89r» 
.8790 


32.0 
28.4 
27.5 
24.4 
ZiA 
21.6 
22.6 
29.1 
25.6 
26.3 
29.3 


27 
72 

72 
82 
92 
107 
97 
42 
37 
40 
37 


81 
162 
162 
180 
198 
225 
207 
108 

99 
104 

99 


67 
137 
122 
139 
147 
l(i7 
155 
64 
62 
67 
57 


153 
279 
252 

283 
297 

311 
148 
144 
153 
135 


-10 
—10 
-11 
4 
—10 








3 

4 

5 

6 ... 


14 


7 

8 

9 


19 
14 

30 


10 

11 


39 
14 



The Salt Creek Oil Basin is situated fifty miles north of 
Casper, Natrona County. This oil is the finest lubricating oil 
in the world. It is hauled in wagons a distance of fifty miles, 
to Casper, to be refined. 



74 



The State of Wyoming. 



Analysis of Oil from Salt Creek Basin, Natrona County. 

Crude oil— red by transmitted and olive green by reflected light ; specific gravity, .9050 (25.2°Bi) 



No. of 
Distillate 


Boiling Point 


Specific 
Gravity 


Degree 
Baume 


Remarks 


°C. 


°F. 




1 


12C-210 
210-265 
265-275 
275-280 
280-285 
285-290 
290-320 
320-340 


348-410 
410-510 
510-528 
528-536 
536-544 
544-554 
554-608 
608-812 


.8600 
.8710 
.8770 
.8730 
.8622 
.8393 
.8518 
.8610 
.8883 


32.6 
32.4 
30.3 
30.4 
33.3 
38.0 
35.4 
33.4 
28.4 


Flashes at 50°C.(121°F.) 
Flashes at 98°C.(210°F.) 














8 




9 




10 






Coke 















Color of above : Nos. i to 9, from dull straw color by regular 
the crude oil ; No. 10, biack. 



Cradations to the color of 



Uinta County Oil Fields. — This district includes several 
fields — Bear River Basin, Round Mountain, Fossil, Spring- 
Valley, Twin Creek, Carter and Hilliard — and has many na- 
tural advantages over the other districts on account of its prox- 
imity to transportation, the Union Pacific railroad, and the 
points of distribution, Salt Lake and Ogden. 

The following analysis is a fair representation of the oil 
from several fields in this district : 

Distillation of Uinta County Petroleum. 





By Heating and Chang- 
ing Temperature 


The Percentage 
Distilled ofr 


Specific 

Gravity 

of Product 


Hydrom- 
eter 
Gravity 


Nature of Product 




From 


To 


By Vol. 


ByWt. 




A . . . 


66°F. 


302°F. 


per cent. 
15 


per cent. 
17.1 


0.740 


60 


Gasoline and benzine 


B . . . 
C . . 


302 
491 


491 
662 


33.1 
26.5 


33.4 
27.1 


0.802 
0.830 


46 
35 


Illuminating 

Heavy illuminating, 
as Signal or Head- 
light 

Lubricating Oil and 
Paraffin 


D . . . 

Residue 


662 
Bituminous 


Boiled dry 
soluble 


19.5 


20.4 
1 


0.840 


31 




Carbon & ash, insoluble 


? 


1 









Per cent. 

Naphtha, 60° F. (gasoline and benzine) . 27.0 

Water white kerosene, 45° Baum^, 145° flash, 172° fire test. 25. 5 

Signal and headlight, 40° Baum^, 300° fire test 7.0 

Lubricating reduced stock, 23.5° Baum^ 40.5 



loo.o 



The cold test of the crude oil is 58° F., and the amount of 
crystallized paraffin that was present in the lubricating stock 
is 18.5 per cent. 



Oil. 75 

The Bonanza Oil Field and the Cottonwood Oil Field are 

in close proximity to each other in Big Horn County, near the 
No Wood River, a tributary of the Big Horn. Active develop- 
ment work is now being carried on in this district, a very fine 
grade of oil having been found. 

Analysis of Bonanza Oil. — Specific gravity. .8446 (36° 
Baume). Color: Red; strong green fluorescence. Odor: 
Like kerosene. Flashing point: 13° C. (55° F.). Burning 
point: 35° C. (95° F.). ' 

Distillation into 10 per cent, fractions: 
Fraction. Boiling Point. Color. 

No. I 80° C. — 142" C Water white. 

No. 2 142^ C. — 177^ C W^ater white. 

No. 3 177° C— 209° C Water white. 

No. 4 209° C. — 240° C Straw. 

No. 5 240" C. — 265° C Darker yellow. 

No. 6 265° C. — 303° C Darker yellow, slight fluo- 
rescence. 

No. 7 303" C. — 350° C Reddish yellow, stronger 

fluorescence. 

No. 8 350° C. — 380° C Reddish yellow, stronger 

fluorescence. 

No. 9 380° C. — 400° C Red, bluish fluorescence. 

No. 10 400° C. Seven per cent, collected. 

This petroleum will work up into the following products: 

Gasoline 20 to 25 per cent. 

Kerosene 55 to 60 per cent. 

Light lubricating oil 5 to 10 per cent. 

Parafiin 2 to 4 per cent. 

Coke and loss 4 to 6 per cent. 

The Newcastle Oil Field is located in the vicinity of New- 
castle, county seat of W^eston County, on the Burlington rail- 
road. 

This petroleum is similar in composition to the Salt Creek 
oils and belongs to the class of heavy oils, and is not suitable 
for the production of gasoline or kerosene, although they can 
be obtained from it. Its chief value will be for lubricating and 
for fuel purposes. It is, in its natural state, an excellent 
lubricant, has a high gravity and low cold test, a high viscosity 
and shows no parafiin or asphalt. This oil is also well fitted 
for the manufacture of gas. 

The Newcastle petroleum as represented by the samples 
taken from the pit of Eagle Spring has a specific gravity of 



76 



The State of Wyoming. 



.9168 (22.8° Baum^). It flashes at 122° C. (251.6° F.) and 
takes fire at 153° C. (307.4° F.). The odor is not disagreeable, 
and for many purposes it could be sold as a lubricating oil in 
a crude state. No paraffin crystallizes out on cooling and little 
or no asphalt is left on distilling. The viscosity at 60° F. is 
29.43, using Engler's viscosimeter and compared with the vis- 
cosity of water. 

Distillation of Newcastle Petroleutn from the Pit. 

1500 cc in copper flask. Collected in 5 per cent, fractions. 



Fraction No. 


Specific 
Gravity 


gr- 


Flashine 
Point 


Burning 
Point 


Remarks 




°C. 


°F. 


OC. 


OF. 




1 

2 
3 
4 

.5 
6 

8 
9 
10 
11 
12 

la 

14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
1!) 












.8(18 
.874 
.881 
.888 
.892 
.897 
.897 
.897 
,900 
.903 
.903 
.903 
.900 
.874 
.869 
.897 
.900 
.890 
.908 


31.2 

;jo.2 

29.2 

•27.8 
26.9 
26.0 
26.0 
26.0 
2,5.2 
25.0 
25.0 
25.0 
25.2 
30.1 
31.0 
26.0 
25.2 
27.5 
24.8 


80 
89 
97 
108 
100 
91 
70 
47 
60 
65 
73 

83 

:« 
37 
39 
51 

50 

:j5 


176 

192 
206 
226 
212 
196 
1.58 

140 
149 
163 
170 
181 
95 
99 
102 
124 
122 
95 


97 

127 
137 
144 
145 
142 
i:« 
146 
153 
159 
154 
168 
89 
()4 
101 
104 
99 


207 
242 
260 
278 
291 
293 
288 
275 
295 
307 
318 
309 
liM 
192 
147 
214 
219 
210 
188 


Light yellow 

, slight green fluorescence 

" *' green fluorescence 

Reddish yellow, green fluorescence- 
Red, strong fluorescence 
Dark red. strong fluorescence 



The Douglas Oil Field is situated a short distance south 
of Douglas, county seat of Converse County, elevation 5,000 
feet. The quality of the crude oil in this section is exceptional 
and will work up into remarkable lubricating oils. 

Distillation of Douglas Petroleum. 

Amount used, 500 cc, in grammes, 480.5 ur. ; Specific Gravity, .9610: Des^rees Baume, 16 ; 
Flashing Point, i64°C. (327°^); Burning Paint, i95°C. {383°F.) 





Boiling Point 


Specific 
Gravity 


Degree 
Baume 


Flashing 


Point 


Burning 


Amount 
Grammes 




°C. 


°F. 


°C. 


°F. 


°C. 


°F. 






















B 

c 


170-279 
279-308 
308-310 
310-312 
312-317 
317-324 
324-345 
345-350 
350-341 
341-338 
338-348 
;M8-340 
340-3:^4 
334-321 
321-309 
309- 


3;i8-5;t4 
5;W-.586 
586-590 
590-593 
59:^-602 
602-615 
615-653 
653-662 
Hi2-645 
645-640 
640-658 
658-644 
644-(i3;i 
63:^-609 
609-.588 
.588- 


.8805 
.8880 
.8810 
.8852 
.8634 
.8757 
.9100 
.9128 
.9075 
.9022 
.9090 
.9110 
.9063 
.9000 
.9122 
.9200 


29. 

27.6 

28.9 

28.1 

32.1 

29.9 


50 


122 


95 


203 


22.01 
22 20 


D 

E 


:^o 


S6 


86 
28' 


186 

'82' 


22 03 
22.13 
,21.58 
21.89 


F 

G 


Below 1,5 


.59 


H 

I 


23.8 

23.4 

24.3 

■25.2 

24. 

23.7 

24.5 

25.5 

23.5 

22 1 


27 


80 


96 


204 


22.75 
22 82 


^k; •.•.:.:; 


Below 15 


59 


54 


129 


22.69 
22 55 


L 

M 


Below 15 


.59 


58 


136 


22.73 

3« 7s 


N 




Below 15 


59 


47 


116 


22.66 


P 

Q 


Below 15 


59 


20 


6S 


22. MO 
7 36 













Oil. 



77 



The Belle Fourche Oil Field is situated about fifteen 
miles north of Moorcroft. on the Burlington railroad, in Crook 
County. In the early history of the discovery of gold in the 
Black Hills, needing lubricating oil for the machinery, men 
were employed in this field in collecting oil from the springs, 
which was transported by wagon to Deadwood and there 
sold for $28 per barrel. 

Belle Fourche Petroleum. 



No. 


Per 
Cent. 


Boiling Point 


Specific 
Gravity 


Degree 
Baume 


Flashing 
Point 


Burning 
Point 




OC. 


OF. 


OC. 


OF. 


°C. 





1 


2.74 
2 30 


Below 200 
200-2:^0 
230-240 
240-250 
250-2(i0 
260-270 
270-280 
280-290 
290-300 
300-310 
310-320 
:i20-330 
330-340 
:i40-o50 
:i50-360 
360-370 
370-380 
380-390 
390-400 
Residue . 


Below 392 
392-446 
44(5-464 
41)4-482 
482-500 
500-518 
518-536 
;)36-554 
554-572 
.572-590 
590-608 
608-(526 
626-644 
644-662 
662-680 
680-698 
689-716 
716-734 
734-752 


.775 

.828 
.846 
.a52 
.857 
.8(53 
.869 
.874 
.879 

.8a3 

:S 

.894 
.898 
.899 
.899 
.901 
.907 
.910 


50.0 
39.1 
35.4 
34.3 
33.3 
32.2 
31.1 

:^o.2 

29.3 
2H.6 
27.5 
27.0 
26.6 
25.9 
25.7 
25.7 
25.4 
24.4 
23.8 










2 . . 


37 
55 
67 
74 
84 
92 
100 
110 
115 
118 
126 
120 
117 
110 
96 
75 
55 
42 


99 
131 
1.53 
1(55 
183 
198 
212 
230 
239 
• 244 
2.i9 
248 
243 
230 
205 
167 
131 
108 


50 

S? 

104 
110 
119 
124 
' 1:50 
IW 
145 
145 
155 
107 
167 
155 
135 
125 


122 


3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 


2.01 
2.74 
2.13 
3.07 
3.28 
4.11 
4.27 
4.66 
4.27 
5.09 
4.32 
4.77 
6.29 
9.53 
6.74 
10.79 
14.98 
1.91 


156 
171 
185 
210 
2;«) 
246 

280 
293 
293 
311 
3:53 
333 
311 
274 
257 





















The Oil Mountain Field is situated twenty-five miles west 
of Casper, Natrona County. This petroleum is principally 
valuable for lubricating purposes, although the most of it 
could be worked up into kerosene for open lamps, such as 
miners use. 

Distillation in a Vacuum of Petroleum from Oil Moutitain. 

10 per cent fractions, 35 millimeters pressure 





1 






Flashmg 


Burning ; 


Bchng romt | g^ 


ecific 


Degree 


Point 


Point 




G 


ravity 


Baume 
















°c 


OF 






OC 
112 


OF 


OC 


OF 


180-211 


a56^12 


873 


30.4 


234 


196 


385 


211-242 


412^68 


881 


29.0 


137 


279 


201 


394 


242-269 


468-516 


893 


26.8 


155 


311 


223 


4;w 


269-276 


516-527 




26.0 


160 


320 


237 


459 


276-310 


527-590 


90H 


25.5 


193 


379 


250 


482 


310-320 


590-608 


909 


24.0 


200 


392 


287 


549 


320-.335 


608-6a5 


9111 


23.0 


167 


3:33 


265 


491 


335-340 


635-644 


898 


26.0 


98 


208 


203 


397 


340-340 


644-644 


894 

897 


26.8 
26.0 


80 


176 


179 


354 















The Button Oil Field is situated partly in Fremont County 
and partly in Natrona County. Many oil springs are found 
here and natural gas is quite abundant. There is practically 



78 



The State of Wyoming. 



no development in this district. The oil has a gravity of .927 
(21° B.). 

The Rattlesnake and Arago Oil Fields are on the north- 
east slope of the Rattlesnake Mountains in Natrona County. 
Here is found asphaltum in sufficient quantities for commercial 
importance, if it were not for the lack of transportation. The 
petroleum of this district will be very valuable for fine lubri- 
cating oil, and the residuum will make the best kind of asphalt. 

The Powder River Oil Field is located on the South Fork 
of Powder River, sixty miles northwest of Casper, county 
seat of Natrona County ; fifty miles south of Buffalo, county 
seat of Johnson County. There are many oil springs in this 
field. In working this field the natural outlet of the oil is on 
the South Fork of the Powder River to the Burlington rail- 
road, where a gravity pipe line could easily be constructed. 

This is one of the best fields in Wyoming; the structural 
features are ideal. This petroleum is heavy and black ; the 
odor is slight, resembling common kerosene, and in general 
character is similar to Salt Creek oil and the Popo Agie oil. 
The petroleum, under proper treatment, will be profitable for 
lubricating oils and asphalt. 

DisHllation in a Vacuum of Petroleum from Oil Canon, Powder Ritier Field 

10 per cent fractions, 35 millimeter'; pressure. 



NO. 


Boiling Point 


Specific 


Degree 
baun.e 


Flashing 
Point 


Bmning 
Point 




OC 


OF 


OC 


135 
162 
171 
165 
349 
373 
363 
1.53 
131 


OC 


op 




130-180 
180-200 
200-2-JO 
220-246 
246-248 
248-308 
308-334 
3:^-320 
320-364 


266-::i56 
356-392 
392-428 
428-475 

47.5-478 
478-586 
586-633 
633-608 
608-687 


.842 
.860 
.870 
.888 
,902 
.902 
.957 
.957 
.882 
900 


36.1 
32.4 
30.8 
27.5 
25.2 
25.2 
16.9 
16.9 
28.6 
25.4 


57 
72 
77 
74 
176 
190 
]>i4 
67 
55 
47 


71 
95 

92 
110 
205 

228 
249 
118 
«h 
93 


160 




203 




198 




230 




401 
442 




480 
244 


^ . ■ ■ 


181 


10 • • 


199 













Development. — The successful and profitable develop- 
ment of many of the oil fields depends largely upon the con- 
struction of new railway lines — an investment fully warranted 
by this resource — but there are a great many opportunities 
presented in many of the fields which are adjacent to present 
railway lines for profitable and highly remunerative develop- 
ment. 



Climate. 79 



The Climate and Its Benefits. 



Mountain Ranges. — Nine-tenths of Wyoming lies within 
the Rocky Mountain region. Strictly speaking, the whole State 
is a region of vast plains, relieved by broken and detached 
ranges and mountain spurs. In the eastern part of the State 
we encounter the Laramie Range, which extends northwest- 
erly for 200 miles. 

Proceeding westward, after traversing the southern portion 
of the Laramie Plains, we come to the ^Medicine Bow Moun- 
tains. Crossing the Platte River, which, with its tributaries, oc- 
cupies a breadth of fifteen to twenty-five miles, we come to the 
main chain of the Rocky Mountains, in a broken series of ranges 
extending through the State. From the western base of the 
Laramie Range, after crossing the Laramie Plains, nearly 100 
miles in width, an east and west range of mountains is found, 
which constitute the southern front of the Sweetwater Valley. 
This wall bears several names, to-wit: Sweetwater, Seminoe 
and Ferris jMountains, ranges about five to twelve miles in 
width, and in length almost eighty miles. West of these lies 
the Green River Valley, sixty to seventy miles across. 

Returning to the eastern boundary, we find the Black 
Hills extending to the northern boundary of the State, where 
they come in contact with the Little Missouri and Wolf Moun- 
tains, whose high and picturesque heads occupy much of the 
northeastern corner of the State. 

Passing over the beautiful valley of the Powder River 
and its tributaries, towards the west, we come to the mag- 
nificent Big Horn Range, fifty miles in breadth, extending 
150 miles in W^yoming. Beyond flows the Big Horn River, 
watering a basin fifty to one hundred miles in width. Still 
beyond, in a southwesterly direction, are found the Owl Creek, 
Rattlesnake and Wind River Mountains, the last named being 
the most extensive, with a direction corresponding to that of 
the Rocky Mountains. In fact they form a part of this great 
chain, and, extending for a distance of 200 miles from the point 
of departure from the Sweetwater Range, finally end in the 
Yellowstone National Park. 

Still west of this range lie the upper basins of the Green 
and Snake Rivers, the two being separated by short spurs, 
known as the Gros Ventre and Wyoming Mountains, con- 



8o The State oe Wyoming. 

necting the Wind River with the Wasatch referred to as con- 
tributing, for about lOO miles, to the western wall of the State. 

From this general description of the position, extent and 
course of mountain ranges, widely distributed over the State, 
it will be seen that large areas of valley and plain must exist. 
Recalling the physical peculiarities of the State, the north- 
westerly trend of its broken and scattered mountains, with 
grand gateways for the admission of Pacific air currents, and 
the low altitude of the mountain ranges beyond the northern 
boundary of Wyoming, we should be prepared to deduce a 
climate theoretically quite different from one based on altitude 
and latitude alone. That latitude itself is not a sufficient cri- 
terion, anyone may satisfy himself by comparing the climate 
of Western Europe with those of the Atlantic side of North 
America, on the same parallels. Cold New England, for ex- 
ample, with Spain and Italy, rigorous Newfoundland with 
sunny France, or frozen Labrador with warm Old England. 
The explanation is easy when we take into account the con- 
figuration of the two continents, with the contrary influence 
of the warm, northeasterly currents of wind and water that 
temper the climate of the European continent, and the chilling 
waters from Spitzbergen that wash the eastern shores of 
America. On the western shore of this continent the exist- 
ing conditions are exactly reversed. It is warmed by the 
northeasterly Pacific currents, which diffuse a warmth along 
the slope on that side that is felt throughout the high regions 
of the Rocky Mountains, and which, coming around the head 
of those mountains and down along the eastern side of the 
Big Horn Mountains, exert a special influence throughout 
Northeastern and Eastern Wyoming. 

General. — There is no region of equal area that is pos- 
sessed of more abounding and diversified richness of resources 
and possibility. It is almost as limitless in undeveloped op- 
portunities as it was when Bonneville first broke his way 
into Jackson Hole — now the wonderland of the United 
States. Much more in praise of the richness of this young 
commonwealth could be given without vain repetition or ex- 
aggeration. The climate of this region of mountains, plains, 
parks and valleys, of this land of sunshine, azure sky, and 
bracing and tonic air, calls for a more widespread apprecia- 
tion than now prevails. From what has been said of the 
physical features of Wyoming, variety of climate would be 
expected. On the mountain peaks, 13,000 feet above sea level, 
perpetual snow abounds. In the lower valleys apples, grapes 
and smaller fruits are grown. Three things are common to all 
of Wyoming — dry air, sunshine and blue sky. 



Climatf:. 8i 



Medical Authorities. 



"In selecting a climate, the question of degree of tem- 
perature is a minor one. A dry, equable temperature is al- 
ways preferable. Dry cold is not dangerous, and is, indeed, 
preferable to enervating warmth." (Wood and Fitz, Practice 
of Medicine.) 

George Burney, 'Si. D., says: "In selecting a climate for 
a consumptive, the first question which occurs to us is the 
inquiry as to the proportion of sunny days in which outdoor 
exercise can be safely enjoyed. In the great majority of 
cases a dry climate, with abun(hini sunshine and pure air, 
constitutes the desideratum." 

Dr. Weber says: "Setting aside individual peculiarities, 
the majority of tubercular patients do best at a height of three 
to six thousand feet." 

Dr. Knight of Boston says: "'In suitable cases (those in 
which large cavities are not formed in the lungs) the improve- 
ment in nutritive activity is much more marked in moun- 
tainous regions than on the plains." and that "four to eight 
thousand feet is the proper altitude." In this statement I 
fully concur, after an experience in treatment of many cases 
of pulmonary consumption covering a period of thirty-five 
years. 

"I am as sure as I can be that recoveries from phthisis, 
judiciously treated at high altitudes, are much more numer- 
ous and much more lasting than those treated by any other 
method at any other place." (Sir Andrew Clark.) 

The cases that are most favorably impressed here are : 

1. Where the apices are early affected. 

2. Those without cavities, although advanced and with 
consolidation. 

3. Recent cases whose salient symptom is hemorrhage. 

4. A non-progressive cavity is benefited. 

5. Remaining consolidation after pleurisy and pneu- 
monia. 

•6. Chronic laryngeal also no worse here than elsewhere. 
The clothing worn in Wyoming is such as is commonly 
worn in the Middle States, of our latitude, except that the 
storm coat is but little used. In summer underwear of me- 
dium weight is usually worn. 

Cure for Special Maladies. — If one were called upon to 
select a climate calculated to benefit a patient suffering from 
a particular malady it would seem the most rational to select 
one where that particular disease or class of diseases did not 
prevail, and as endemic phthisis has never been known to 



82 The State of Wyoming. 

generate in Wyoming, no stronger argument could be ad- 
vanced in favor of this being a curative climate. 

Resorts of any desirable elevation are within reach. 
Wyoming presents climatic influences equally favorable for 
the restoring of those invalided by bronchial maladies and ca- 
tarrhal states of the throat and naso-pulmonary air-passages 
as it presents for the alleviation and cure of tuberculosis. 

This is the region, par excellence, for asthmatic people. 
Many hundreds of people of all ages thus afflicted have come 
here from the low altitudes of the East and West, have been 
restored to health and vigor, and today are among the most 
active and prosperous of our citizens. 

Our altitude does not militate even against those who 
have valvular disease of the heart, unless where compensation 
is destroyed, and accompanied by dilation and weakness. 

My observation has been that patients do equally well 
at advanced age, and are as uniformly benefited in this alti- 
tude (6,041) as those who are younger. What is true of the 
heart applies as well in regard to pneumonia, bronchitis and 
pleurisy, which diseases are extremely rare here, and the per- 
centage of deaths much smaller than in any other State in the 
Union. 

Chronic laryngitis and bronchitis are speedily cured by 
residence, unless they exist as complications of advanced 
stages of consumption. Persons whose habits of life do not 
allow or compel them to fully expand their lungs in a pure 
atmosphere ; pale, anaemic clerks, those of sedentary habits, 
with hacking coughs ; nervous and dyspeptic people ; chil- 
dren with narrow, stooping shoulders and flat breasts, with 
impaired digestion, should come to these mountains, if pos- 
sible, as the air of this region necessitates full breathing; 
every cell in the lungs is forced into activity, straightening the 
form, increasing the breathing area, and hurrying the blood, 
thus purified, freely through the lungs. 

The choice of climate for the patient is the most import- 
ant part of the treatment. Usually the first decision made is 
whether the patient shall or shall not go away from home. 
The proper rule is, the milder and apparently insignificant 
the local disease, the more important the seeking out of a 
suitable climate, because the more is to be hoped from climatic 
treatment. If, with the involument of each lung, there be 
present softening and formation of cavities, change of cli- 
mate only can be expected to give relief. Such cases — except 
where softening is of limited extent — should not be brought 
to these high altitudes, as the fatal termination is only hast- 
ened by so doing. Chronic diseases peculiar to women do 



Climatk. 83 

well. Those suffering from general debility and nervousness 
are almost certain to be cured by a residence here for a suf- 
ficient length of time. 

Climatology — Record for Five Years. 

Temperature. — The mean temperature averaged 41.7 de- 
grees. August was the warmest month, with a mean of 67.4 
degrees, and December was the coldest, with a mean of 17.4 
degrees. The highest monthly mean was 73.4 degrees for 
July, and the lowest was 5.8 degrees for December. The 
highest temperature was 105 degrees, during July and Au- 
gust, and the lowest was 30 degrees below zero, during De- 
cember, an extreme range for the State of 135 degrees. In 
December, 1903, the lowest recorded temperature in Cheyenne 
was 24 degrees above zero. 

Precipitation. — The yearly precipitation was 12.58 inches, 
slightly below the normal. May was the month of greatest 
precipitation, when nearly twice the normal occurred. Sep- 
tember was the dryest month of the year, the average being 
that of 0.25 of an inch, or about one-fourth of the normal. 
The average was above the normal the remainder of the year. 

Weather. — The percentages of clear, partly cloudy and 
cloudy days were 50, 32 and 18, respectively. There was an 
average of sixty-seven days on which o.oi of an inch or more 
precipitation fell. Foggy weather in the State was not usual, 
as at Lander dense fog did not prevail for an hour at any time 
during the year, and at Cheyenne but twice. The percentage 
of sunshine at Cheyenne was 69, being least in May, 43, and 
greatest in September, 'j'j. 

Favored Localities. 

The mean percentages for the State are well represented 
in the strip of country lying along the eastern base of the 
mountains, from Cheyenne on the south to Sheridan on the 
north. This, supplemented by the valleys of the Big Horn, 
Wind River and Grand Encampment, where the plains meet 
the foothills, and sheltered by the towering ranges to the 
west and south is the region best suited to the invalid. Within 
this district are Cheyenne. Douglas, Sheridan, Casper, Buf- 
falo, Cody, Thermopplis, Laramie, Rawlins, Saratoga and 
Lander. In the mountains are pleasant parks at higher eleva- 
tions, offering attractive outings in the summer. 

The elevation in this belt runs from 3,400 to 7,500 feet. 
Rainfall, as seen by the report of Observer Palmer, is about 



84 The State of Wyoming. 

fourteen inches ; snowfall light and disappearing rapidly un- 
der the bright, warm sun, with no chilling slush to prevent 
the patient from enjoying outdoor life. The spring and sum- 
mer have the not infrequent showers confined to the after- 
noon. The never ending rainy spells and continued drizzle 
of the lower altitudes do not occur on these mountain 
plateaus. The dryness of the air of this great tableland and 
the consequent rapidity of evaporation must be kept in mind 
in considering temperature in these altitudes. The average 
summer temperature is about 70 degrees. 

Climatic Conditions. — The heat is never intense. In the 
hottest summer weather it is but a step from the heat of the 
sunshine into the shade, which is always cool. Sunstroke is 
unknown. The air in winter is clear and sharp, but easily 
borne and even pleasant. All over the State — except at high 
altitudes — one may, even in midwinter, sit in comfort in the 
sunshine in any sheltered corner. In the shade there is the 
tingle of northern cold, and heavy clothing is none too warm. 
The tonic effect of this climate upon nutrition is from this 
coolness the more marked. It is the brilliant and continuous 
sunshine which is much praised by mountain residents, and 
which is misunderstood to refer to air. The invalid who 
comes to Wyoming for a winter is not coming to a climate of 
balmy warmth, but, rather, and better, to one where the brac- 
ing cold is flooded for more than three-fourths of the day 
with bright sunshine. The sun in this region is almost a con- 
stant equation, reaching about 82 per cent, of the total days of 
the year. The chief advantage in the eastern belt of Wyo- 
ming is the early morning sun. There are no high walls for 
the Sim to climb, therefore the sun is up and spreading his 
genial rays before the invalid is awake, warming the atmos- 
phere for his outdoor exercise, without the long wait until 
midday, which is required in other high altitudes. Here we 
have the good, exhilarating effects of nine hours of sunshine. 

It is this glory of perpetual sunshine which has perhaps 
more to do with the beneficial influence of Wyoming climate 
on both sick and well than anything else. It is the sparkling 
dry air which makes life happier and more satisfactory than 
it could be under the clouded skies of the East and South. 
Diminished barometric pressure, small rainfall, low atmos- 
pheric humidity, intense sunshine on account of the dry and 
thin air, and absence of cloudiness, make this the ideal abode 
for those suffering from pulmonary troubles. 

Vacation Resort for Tourists and Hunters. — There is no 
better district in the Rocky Mountains for a holiday or camp- 



Climatk. 85 

ing tour than in Wyoming-. The stiHness of the nunintain 
soothes and quiets those w ho have become metnally exhausted 
from prolonged strain and anxious cares or absorbing occupa- 
tions. Its summer is cool, and in the higher parks the nights 
are cold. Autumn is an unbroken stretch of cool and sunshiny- 
days. Ciame and fish are abundant. The railroads carry one 
to within a short ride, by horse or wagon, through yet un- 
broken wilderness. From June to October is the season for 
roughing it. With restoration to health, Wyoming does not 
say, "Now return to your home." but rather welcomes the re- 
stored invalid and holds out to him many inducements to re- 
main. The varied resources of the State are only beginning 
to be appreciated. Agriculture, stock raising and mining 
oflfer a wide field for investment and development. Besides 
all these things, he does not expatriate hin-iself, but is at home 
in his own land, surrounded by his own countrymen, observing 
the same laws, and practicing the manners and customs of the 
community in which he was reared. 

The question of the return home of the apparently cured 
patient is ahvays a serious one ; in the majority of cases a per- 
manent residence in a proper climate is essential. Tn climatic 
treatment of pulmonary diseases it is not weeks or months, but 
often years of residence, that is recpiired. 

Wyoming presents, in the cultivation of her soil, in the 
prospects of her mines and timber, in the pastures of her plains 
and mountains, greater opportunities for work in the open 
air, with better remuneration to the laborer, than prevail in 
the older States ; while to those of means, exploration, hunting 
and tent life furnish enjoyable recreation. 

Such, briefly sketched, is this mountain empire — vast in 
extent, presenting the most picturesque scenery, the greatest 
charm of climate, the riches of forest, stream and mine, a treas- 
ure house of untold wealth, whose unlimited possibilities and 
incalculable resources, together with the bluest and gentlest 
of heavens bending above, invate the sick an4 well alike to 
come and partake of the free offering, and remain, a v^alued 
addition to our population. The climate is one of the richest 
endowments of Wyoming. It is exhilarating; cheers and 
braces each individual, lending character to our civil and in- 
dustrial life, and imparting to our citizens a robustness of 
physique unequaled in any country in the entire world. 



86 The State oe Wyoming. 



Educational Advantages. 



The State of Wyoming is notable for the educational ad- 
vantages it gives the children of its citizens. In educational 
matters it leads many of the older States, in that it employs 
a larger number of teachers in proportion to its population ; 
that its school year is longer ; that the salaries paid its teach- 
ers, especially those paid women teachers, are higher, and that 
its school methods are at all times kept in unison and harmony 
with the latest and best in modern education. 

The amount of funds raised in Wyoming for school pur- 
poses by voluntary taxation is liberal, and expenditures in edu- 
cational matters are not stinted. The district school board 
provides free text-books for all pupils. The latest and most 
approved text-books have been purchased and supplied to every 
school district in the State. The result of this liberality and of 
the careful attention given the schools of the State by its citi- 
zens and school officers has been to keep the percentage of 
illiteracy in Wyoming below that of any State or Territory, A 
practical illustration of this was shown at the muster of troops 
in the State for service in the Spanish war. Of i,ooo young 
men who enlisted in Wyoming, not one was unable to sign 
his name to the muster rolls, and every man had received a 
fair education. 

There are over 18,000 pupils enrolled in the public schools 
of the State. These are in attendance at 615 schools. Sparsely 
settled communities in Wyoming enjoy equal school facilities 
with more thickly settled regions. It is the universal custom in 
the State to establish a school if five pupils can attend. A com- 
pulsory school law is on the statute books, but it has never 
been found necessary to enforce it, as school attendance is 
voluntary. 

The number of teachers employed in the State is 684. 
The salaries paid teachers in Wyoming average $70.78 per 
month for male teachers and $46.39 for female, which, when it 
is considered that the country schools of the State form the 
great majority of the entire number, compare most favorably 
with salaries paid in other States. 

The 400 school buildings of the State are well built and 
comfortable. The cost of construction has been $503,390.43, 
while repairs and improvements amounting to ten thousand 



Educational Advantages. 87 

dollars are made annually. As the sparsely settled communi- 
ties of the State grow, the primitive log building which at first 
constitutes the school house gives place to the neat frame or 
brick structure with all the modern apparatus for successful 
educational work. 

The State Superintendent has prepared a uniform course 
of instruction for the graded and ungraded schools of the en- 
tire State. This has served to systematize the work of teachers 
and County Superintendents, and has added materially to the 
effectiveness of the service. 

One of the most valuable aids to the support and mainten- 
ance of the public school system in Wyoming is the fund 
received annually from the rental of school lands. During the 
year ending March 31st. 1901, the sum of $58,048 was received 
from this source and distributed to the school officers of each 
county in proportion to the number of pupils in each. In 1903 
the amount distributed was $71,615.66. School libraries in the 
different counties contain 20,000 volumes. The total acreage 
of school land in the State which may be utilized for this pur- 
pose is 3,600,000 acres. It may reasonably be expected that 
sufficient income will be received from the rental of school 
lands within the near future to increase the efficiency of the 
schools of the State to the highest degree, and this without im- 
posing additional burdens upon the taxpayer. 

The University of Wyoming. 

The University of Wyoming is a State institution. The 
first direct step taken toward founding the University was 
a bill passed by the Ninth Legislature of the Territory of 
Wyoming, which convened in 1886, securing the establish- 
ment of a University in the City of Laramie. 

The University was opened in the fall of 1887, and has 
been growing in faculty, attendance and equipment ever since. 
The original faculty was composed of seven, the present of 
twenty-one, members. Student attendance has increased to 
such an extent that the rolls for the present year, 1903-4, will 
show 250 students in the several departments. 

In addition to the above improvements, new buildings 
have been added until the plant is estimated at present to be 
worth a half million dollars. The first building to be erected 
on the campus, the University Hall, is a beautiful structure 
that would honor any city or institution in the United States. It 
faces the west, and is about 150 feet in length and 50 feet in 
breadth, having three stories and a commodious garret and 
store-room above the basement. The material used in its con- 
struction is native sandstone. The rooms, twenty-eight in 



88 The State of Wyoming. 

number, as well as all the corridors, are heated by steam and 
lighted by electricity. The auditorium in the second story is 
a fine assembly hall, seating with comfort four hundred people. 

A second large building, to which commodious wings 
have since been added, was occupied in the spring of 1893 by 
the College of Mechanical Engineering. About $12,000 has 
already been spent in equipping the building with tools and 
machinery. 

The third building, known as the Science Hall, was made 
possible by an appropriation of $35,000 by the Legislature of 
1901. This beautiful building is of the collegiate gothic style 
of architecture, and is built of gray sandstone similar to that 
used in other buildings. The lower or basement floor is oc- 
cupied by the University Museum and its work-rooms. This 
story is double height, in order that it may accommodate the 
great fossils that are being restored and placed on exhibition. 

On the second or main floor are the offices, recitation 
room and laboratories of the departments of Biology and Geol- 
ogy. Here is found also a large, well equipped general lecture 
room. The third floor is given up to the department of Chem- 
istry, and contains, besides the office, class room and labora- 
tories of the department, the laboratory of the State Chemist. 

The Legislature of 1903 appropriated $15,000 for an 
Armory and Gymnasium. This building has been completed 
and is now occupied by the Military department and the 
Athletic Association. The basement of the gymnasium con- 
tains the offices of the head of the Military department, an 
officer of the regular army, and gymnasium instructor, lockers, 
shower baths, armory, etc. The building is of brick, with 
stone trimmings. The whole floor, a clear space of 45 by 90 
feet, is available for company drill, athletic practice, etc. A 
running track is suspended from the ceiling in the form of a 
gallery, used also by spectators at games and entertainments. 

A general heating plant for. all the buildings has been in- 
stalled near the center of the campus during the past year at 
a cost of $16,000. 

The University Library now contains about 17,000 bound 
volumes, and in addition several thousand unbound bulletins 
and reports. 

Since the founding of the institution $100,000 in all has 
been expended for apparatus in the different scientific depart- 
ments. As a result, the laboratories are as well equipped as 
in any of the institutions of the West. 

The Museum of Geology and Paleontology is constantly 
growing in importance. The collection of plants at the L^ni- 
versity has been officially designated "The Rocky Mountain 



Edl"cati()n.\l Ai)\ani"agl:s. 89 

Herbarium." It contains more than 45.000 sheets of mounted 
specimens, and is much the largest collection in the Rocky 
Mountain States, all of the important collections made in the 
West during recent years having been secured. 

The Courses Offered by the University. — What the Uni- 
versity of Wyoming is doing for the higher education of the 
young people of the State is shown by the following courses 
of study : 

The College of Liberal Arts. — There is first the College of 
Liberal Arts, giving in four years what is commonly known 
as a "college education." In the first two years of this de- 
partment all the studies are prescribed, although the student 
has the choice of a classical, literary or scientific course. In 
the last two years almost all the studies are elective. By 
this arrangement it is believed that a sufficiently broad and 
thorough course is insured, and at the same time the tastes 
and needs of the individual student are allowed free scope. 

The Preparatory School. — Since there are many parts of 
the State not yet pro\ided with high schools fitting for the L^ni- 
versity courses, a prei)aratory school, with a course of three 
years' work, is maintained. 

The Graduate School. — This department affords an oppor- 
tunity for those who wish to carry their studies beyond the 
limits of the college course. 

For the benefit of those who cannot devote so much time 
to general education, but who wish to be trained for some sj^e- 
cial profession, there are six technical schools provided, viz : 
The Normal School, The School of Mines, the College of 
Agriculture and the Agricultural Experiment Station, the 
College of Mechanical Engineering, the College of Commerce 
and the School of Music. These courses all require less time 
by two years than the College of Liberal Arts, and are designed 
to give a thorough and practical preparation for those pro- 
fessions which are more particularly demanded now in this 
new State. 

The University of Wyoming is founded and maintained 
for the purpose of being as useful as possible to the people of 
Wyoming. The University is, therefore, devoting its attention 
not only to the study of problems of general interest and theo- 
retical importance, but especially to the solution of those prob- 
lems which confront the people in this new and undeveloped 
State. With this thought in mind, all plants or minerals sent 
to the Univeristy are determined gratis. Only a nominal fee 



go The State of Wyoming. 

is charged for assaying. Mineral waters are analyzed and oils 
are examined, fossils are identified, and special scientific in- 
formation upon any topic is sent to anyone in the State upon 
request. 

Wyoming Experiment Station. — This is the department of 
research of the College of Agrculture of the University of Wyo- 
ming. Its work is to publish useful and practical information 
on subjects connected with agriculture. The results of its ex- 
periments are published in the station bulletins, which are sent 
free on request to residents of this State. Some of the sixty 
bulletins thus far published by the Agricultural Experiment 
Station are as follows : Potatoes, Fruit Growing in Wyoming, 
Cultivated Shade and Forest Trees, Some Native Forage 
Plants for Alkali Soils, Alfalfa as a Hay Crop, Wyoming Sugar 
Beets, Lamb-Feeding Experiments, Alkali, Wheat Culture, 
Food Adulteration. 

The endeavor has been to make these bulletins popular 
and educational in their nature, and such as will meet the de- 
mands of our own farmers, by giving them practical informa- 
tion. Altogether there have been published by the University 
over 5.000 pages on the agricultural and mineral resources of 
the State, all original matter, based on experiments and explo- 
rations by the scientific members of the faculty. The settler 
new to the country will find in these publications information 
as to crops and methods which will save him thousands of 
dollars and years of work in the fruitless experiments which he 
might otherwise undertake. 

Charles Willard Lewis, LL. D., is President of the Uni- 
versity. 



Public Libraries. 



Wyoming early made provision for the purchase and ex- 
change of valuable law books and reports. The library is in 
charge of the State Librarian, under the direction of the Jus- 
tices of the Supreme Court, and is open during the business 
hours observed by the public officers at the Capitol. The law 
library contains nearly 8,000 volumes, exclusive of the public 
laws and documents of the State. 



Al.BANV COUMV. 91 

Of the 260,000 acres of land granted by the General Gov- 
ernment for State charitable, educational, penal and reforma- 
tory institutions, in addition to special land grants for such 
purposes. 15,000 acres were set aside in 1897 for the mainten- 
ance of the law library. At the present time these lands yield 
an annual income from rents of about $600, which is used in 
the purchase of new books. 

An act to increase the State Library by adding a miscel- 
laneous collection of standard books was also passed by the 
Legislature in 1897, and 15,000 acres of land set aside, the in- 
come from which is used in the maintenance of a miscellaneous 
library. The nucleus of such a library, consisting of three 
thousand volumes, has been purchased and is now available to 
the citizens of the State. Provision has also been made by the 
State for the establishment of county libraries, and in many 
counties such libraries are maintained for the benefit of the resi- 
dents. L'nder the auspices of the Wyoming Historical Society 
have been collected many early books, papers and documents 
bearing upon the early history of Wyoming, which are open 
to inspection at the State Library. The collection of Wyo- 
ming minerals shown at the World's Fair, with the medals and 
diplomas awarded, are also upon exhibition at the Capitol. 



Albany County. 



Albany County was named by a representative from the 
then unnamed county to the Dakota Legislature, who, being 
a former resident of Albany, New York, named the new county 
Albany. It has an area of 3,248,640 acres; of this, 1,077,754 
acres are listed for taxation. Total valuation of county, $4,248,- 
938 : total tax levy, including State levy, 20 mills ; bonded in- 
debtedness, $127,000; mean elevation, 6,500 feet. 

Agriculture. — Twenty-five years ago those who suggested 
that agricultural products might be raised with profit in 
Albany County were ridiculed. Today hundreds of citizens 
are not only making a living, but are reaping large profits. 
In the year 1903 Mr. E. J. Bell raised from thirty acres of land 
more than three thousand sacks of potatoes of one hundred 
pounds each. He is selling this product at the rate of $1.00 
per sack. His net return is about sixty per cent. His fields of 



92 



The; State of Wyoming. 



oats produced an enormous yield, more than fifty bushels per 
acre, but this is by no means the largest yield ever produced 
on the Laramie plains. Crops of oats exceeding seventy-five 
bushels per acre have been raised in the vicinity of Lake lone. 
The soil of the Laramie plains is suitable and the season at an 
elevation of 7,000 feet is sufficiently long for all kinds of small 
grain, alfalfa (two crops), nearly all the vegetables, sugar 
beets, etc. A ready market is found for all kinds of farm pro- 
duce at prices far in advance of those prevailing in Kansas 
and Nebraska. 

Stock Raising is still the principal industry, more than 
$2,000,000 being invested in domestic animals. The days of 
the large outfits have passed, but the business has not declined 
in consequence and is far more profitable. Under existing con- 
ditions, the ranchmen of Albany County keep just the number 
of animals that can be well cared for in the winter time, making 
it a universal rule to provide sufficient hay to carry them 
through in good condition. A constant evolution from the 
large to the small ranch is in progress, and in the near future 
all the large holdings will doubtless be divided into small, well 
equipped farms and ranches. Land owners are rapidly learn- 
ing that it is more profitable to bring their lands under culti- 
vation than to hold them solely for range purposes. 

The City of Laramie is the county seat and principal town 
of Albany County. Its population, census of 1900, is 8.207. 
Here is located the University of Wyoming ; the public school 
system is of the very best. Among the manufacturing cities 
of the State, Laramie takes first place. The iron rolling mills 
here employ about two hundred men and turn out a large 
quantity of finished articles, such as bolts, nuts, angle iron, 
fish plates, etc. Just to the south of the city, and within its 
limits, is located the factory of the Acme Cement Company. 
It owns about 1,000 acres of plaster land, which has a deposit 
of natural plaster from six to eight feet in thickness. It is put 
through a calcining process and becomes the finest of building 
material. It is used throughout the West, the output of the 
plant being from six to ten car loads per day. Another plaster 
mill, belonging to the Rocky Mountain Plaster Company, is 
located nine miles south, at Red Buttes station. Its product 
is made from gypsum, and it is what is known as a hard-rock 
mill. Very fine plaster of paris and four other grades of plaster 
are manufactured here. The two plaster concerns employ 
about fifty men. 

At Laramie the Union Pacific operates large shops and a 
tie-preserving plant. The ties are brought here from the rnoun- 



M O 



^ 5 a 




Albany County. 93 

tains and undergo a pickling process which prolongs their life 
perhaps two and one-half times. In the shops and at the tie 
plant 150 men are employed. It is a freight division on the 
Union Pacific, and many railroad men have their homes estab- 
lished at this point. 

Lumber is manufactured in the adjacent mountains, and 
an excellent quality of brick is made in the city. A pressed 
brick plant is in operation. Building material and labor are 
more reasonable than in most Western cities, hence buildings 
for homes and business purposes can be constructed at fair 
rates. 

During the year 1903 a large quantity of limestone was 
shipped to the beet sugar plants and smelters of Colorado from 
quarries just to the east of Laramie. The Union Pacific has 
constructed a spur to these quarries and ten car loads per day 
are being shipped. This limestone is the purest discovered in 
the L'nited States and is practically inexhaustible. It was used 
some years ago in the manufacture of glass. All the other 
ingredients for the manufacture of glass of a superior quality 
are found at Laramie, and it is within the realm of reason to 
predict that this industry w^ill soon be in a flourishing condi- 
tion at this point. Enough has been done to demonstrate its 
feasibility. 

The State Fish Hatchery is located five miles southeast of 
Laramie. At this institution more than a million small fry are 
hatched annually and distributed among the streams of the 
State. With two exceptions, the streams of Albany County 
were naturally without trout, hence the State Hatchery has 
been of untold value to the local angler, as well as to those 
Avho enjoy the delicacy of trout upon their tables. No better 
trout fishing is enjoyed by the people of any section than is had 
by the people of Albany County. The Big and Little Laramie 
Rivers and all their tributaries teem with the speckled beau- 
ties. It is not an uncommon thing for a fisherman to catch 
twenty pounds of trout in a half day's fishing. Laramie's rep- 
utation as a fishing resort is becoming world wide, and people 
come from other States to enjoy the delightful pleasure and 
recreation. Along the Big Laramie several excellent summer 
resorts have been established for the accommodation of vis- 
itors. 

Fruit Growing. — Many of the residents of Albany County 
are successfully raising small fruit, such as raspberries, cur- 
rants, gooseberries, strawberries, etc., and some attempts have 
been made at raising apples and other large fruits. One ranch- 
man, Mr. Jacob Lund, has for several years raised a quantity 



94 The: State of Wyoming. 

of Wealthy apples at his ranch near Jelm, elevation 7,400 feet. 
There is no reason to believe that fruit in almost endless 
variety cannot be raised in portions of Albany County ; in fact, 
results already attained prove that it may be done. 

Mining. — See Mineral Resources, this pamphlet. 

In conclusion, it may be said that Albany County holds out 
to the man of small fortune much that is alluring. Here is an 
opportunity to make a comfortable home in a country that is 
prosperous and in a climate that is unsurpassed in all that 
pertains to the health of mankind. 

Albany County is in the Cheyenne United States land 
office district. 



Big Horn County. 



Big Horn County was named from the Big Horn or 
Rocky Mountain sheep, which abound in the Big Horn Moun- 
tains, on the east side of the Big Horn Basin. The county was 
organized in 1896. Bonded indebtedness is $34,000; tax levy, 
19 1-3 mills; total assessed valuation, $3,005,256; average ele- 
vation of agricultural portion, 4,000 feet. 

It was the last organized county of the State, and consists 
of that portion of the northwestern corner known as the Big 
Horn Basin. This is, in many respects, one of the most re- 
markable basins situated on either side of the great Conti- 
nental Divide. This is true, whether we consider its great 
area, the lofty mountains enclosing it on all sides except the 
north, its equable climate or the fertility of its soils. On the 
east looms up the Big Horn Range, some of its peaks rising 
12,000 feet above sea level ; on the west tower the equally high 
peaks of the Shoshone Range, spurs of the great Continental 
Divide ; on the south is the Owl Range, a spur of the Conti- 
nental Divide connecting it with the southern end of the Big 
Horn Range. The usual elevation of the divides connecting 
these peaks is from 9,000 to 10,000 feet above the sea level. 
Among these mountains are found some of the finest examples 
of mountain and canon scenery to be found on this continent. 

Passing centrally through this basin in a northerly direc- 
tion, its meanderings covering more than one hundred miles, 
is the Big Horn River. Its entrance into the basin has been 



Big Horx County. 95 

made in some past convulsion of nature, through the Owl 
Range, by an impassable canon of about four miles in length. 
Its exit from the basin to the north has been made by cutting 
through the northerly end of the Big Horn Range by a very 
remarkable canon of about twenty miles in length, its walls 
rising almost vertically 1,200 to 1,500 feet above the water. 
Intermediate between these canons this river passes through 
Sheep Mountain, a secondary and detached range, by a canon 
of about three miles length, but equally as interesting as the 
other two. The Big Horn Range, west of its lower canon, is 
designated Pryor Mountain, which gradually recedes in height 
until it drops to the level of the plain bordering Clark's Fork 
of the Yellowstone. Around the base of this mountain is the 
natural outlet from the Big Horn Basin. 

Agriculture and Stock Raising. — It is within bounds to as- 
sert that every square mile of the area of this county, except a 
small percentage forming the slopes of the high mountain 
peaks, can l)e utilized in summer or winter for agriculture or 
the grazing of stock, as proven by the experience of ten years 
with cattle, horses and sheep. The high mountain plateaus, 
with their intervening valleys, up to an elevation of 10,500 feet, 
in summer and until covered with snow in the fall, produce 
grass of sufficient fattening properties for summer feed. At 
elevations of from 7,500 to 10,500 feet all stock keep fat for 
four months of the year. 

This is a large cattle raising county. From Cody last year 
there were shipped 153 cars of baled wool, 372 cars of sheep and 
320 cars of cattle. 

Agriculture. — The greater part of the irrigable lands have 
an altitude varying from 3,400 feet to 4,400 feet. Oats yield 
from forty to eighty bushels per acre, wheat thirty to sixty, 
rye twenty-five to fifty-five, barley forty to sixty, corn thirty 
to fifty, and is as sure a crop as in Iowa; alfalfa three to seven 
tons, other grasses two to four tons per acre. 

In this county the State, under the Carey Arid Land Act, 
has segregated 400,000 acres of land, which will shortly be 
placed imder irrigating ditches, and which will provide homes 
for thousands of people. See articles, this pamphlet, entitled 
"Lands" and the "Operation of the Carey Act." 

There is no better location in the West than this section 
for a beet sugar factory. 

Within the belt lying between 5,500 and 6,500 feet eleva- 
tion timothy and redtop do exceptionally well ; alfalfa pro- 
duces two cuttings. Below this belt, with ordinary good man- 
agement, alfalfa will yield three good cuttings. Its seed comes 



96 The State of Wyoming. 

to full maturity and is of good quality. It is believed that in 
no locality of the world are small grains of superior quality or 
in larger yields per acre. All the roots, such as potatoes, car- 
rots, rutabagas and beets of all kinds, thrive excellently well 
up to 6,500 feet. It is not uncommon for beets and rutabagas, 
where well cultivated, to attain weights of ten to fifteen pounds 
and be solid to the core. Of melons, the cantaloupe matures 
of excellent quality ; so does the watermelon, though to less 
extent. The potato is a large yielder, and of quality unsur- 
passed anywhere. Such garden vegetables as radishes, let- 
tuce, cauliflower, beans and peas do well at all altitudes. Rad- 
ishes, lettuce, cauliflower, beans and peas are perfection above 
5,500 feet altitude, and are of unsurpassed quality and flavor. 

As an instance of what has been done, the following ex- 
tracts from the third annual statement of the Bench Canal 
Company, Burlington, Wyoming, showing earnings as grown 
in crops and stock pasturage, may be of interest : 

Herman Werbelow, on 50 acres— 

675 Bu. oats @ 50C $ 337.50 

465 Bu. wheat 232.50 

80 Bu. potatoes @ 6oc 48.00 

100 Bu. corn 50.00 

Garden 100.00 

40 Acres fall pasture 40.00 

230 Bu. rye @ 50c 1 15.00 — $ 923.00 

Fritz Moeller, on 150 acres — 

1900 Bu. oats @ 50c $ 950.00 

350 Bu. wheat @ 50c i75-00 

70 Lbs. alfalfa seed @ 12c 8.40 

30 Tons hay @ $4.00 120.00 

Garden 50.00 

50 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 30.00 

100 Acres fall pasture 100.00 — $1,433.40 

G. K. Baker, on 160 acres — 

150 Tons hay @ $4.00 $ 600.00 

600 Bu. oats @ 50c 300.00 

100 Bu. wheat @ 50c 50.00 

150 Bu. barley @ 60c 90.00 

2 Tons sugar beets 40.00 

150 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 90.00 

2000 Lbs. alfalfa seed @ 12c 240.00 

Garden . . 100.00 

160 Acres fall pasture 160.00 — $1,670.00 



Big Horn County. 97 

Friedrich Mayland, on 160 acres — 

2200 Bu. oats @ 50c $1,100.00 

200 Bu. wheat @ 50c 100.00 

65 Bu. barley @ 60c 39-0O 

100 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 600.00 

75 Tons hay @ $4.00 300.00 

Garden 50.00 

100 Acres fall pasture 100.00 — $2,289.00 

W. H. Packard, on 240 acres — 

75 Tons of hay @ $4.00 $ 300.00 

1000 Bu. oats @ 50c 500.00 

250 Bu. wheat @ 50c 125.00 

Garden 700.00 

240 Acres fall pasture 240.00 

5000 Lbs. honey @ loc 500.00 — $2,365.00 

J. Adam Preis, on 160 acres — 

3324 Bu. oats and wheat @ 50c $1,662.00 

1 10 Bu. barley @ 60c 66.60 

100 Tons hay @ $4.00 400.00 

200 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 120.00 

Garden 100.00 

160 Acres fall pasture 160.00 — $2,508.60 

William Peper, on 80 acres — 

1 160 Bu. oats @ 50c $ 580.00 

70 Bu. wheat @ 50c 35-oo 

70 Bu. barley @ 60c 42.00 

75 Bu. corn @ 50c 37.50 

50 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 30.00 

Garden 50.00 

80 Acres pasture 80.00 — $ 854.50 

W. A. Shoemaker, on 160 acres — 

150 Tons hay @ $4.00 $ 600.00 

1 100 Bu. oats @ 50c 550.00 

500 Bu. wheat @ 50c 250.00 

100 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 60.00 

2000 Lbs. alfalfa seed @ 12c 240.00 

Garden 50.00 

160 Acres pasture 160.00 — $1,910.00 

V. G. Lantry, on 160 acres — 

800 Bu. oats @ 50c $ 400.00 

200 Tons hay @ $4.00 800.00 

160 Acres fall pasture 160.00 — $1,360.00 



98 The State oe Wyoming. 

Joseph Hany, on 50 acres — 

250 Bu. oats @ 50c $ 125.00 

430 Bu. wheat @ 50c 215.00 

20 Tons hay @ $4.00 80.00 

150 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 90.00 

Garden 25.00 

50 Acres fall pasture 50.00 

2 Tons beets 40.00 — $ 625.00 

J. S. Nicholson, on 80 acres — 

1350 Bu. oats @ 50c $ 675.00 

100 Bu. wheat @ 50c 50.00 

40 Bu. barley @ 60c 24.00 

18 Tons hay @ $4.00 72.00 

40 Acres fall pasture 40.00 — $ 861.00 

Orin Perry, on 20 acres — 

150 Bu. oats @ 50c $ 75.00 

150 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 90.00 

Garden 200.00 

20 Acres pasture 20.00 

8000 Lbs. honey @ loc 800.00— $1,185.00 

J. W. Bell, on 160 acres — 

3204 Bu. oats @ 50c $1,602.00 

365 Bu. wheat @ 50c 182.50 

100 Bu. barley @ 60c 60.00 

300 Bu. potatoes @ 60c 180.00 

Garden 50.00 

30 Acres fall pasture 30.00 — $2,104.50 

Horticulture. — All the small fruits, such as raspberries, 
currants, strawberries and gooseberries, grow wild, and tame 
varieties do well. Apple and peach trees of two years' growth 
promise success. 

Irrigation. — In addition to the large volume of water de- 
livered by the Big Horn River, running centrally through the 
county, its large and numerous tributaries furnish a super- 
abundance of water for irrigating large bodies of land that can 
be gotten under ditch. From the east flow Kirby, No Wood 
and Shell Creeks ; from the west comes Owl Creek and its 
much larger tributaries of Grey Bull and Wood River : then 
the two forks of the Shoshone River, ^nd still farther to the 
north the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone. 

Minerals. — In minerals the prospect is no less flattering. 
Beds of coal of good quality outcrop in many parts of the 



Bic. Horn County. 99 

county. On the east side are immense masses of gypsum, 
which also outcrops on the west side, near Cody. It is be- 
lieved that large masses of iron ore exist in a locality acces- 
sible to a railroad when the railway system projected through 
the county is completed. In the rim of mountains enclosing 
this basin prospects indicate many valuable mines of gold and 
silver. On the head of Grey Bull River the Gold Reef Mining 
Company is boring a tunnel (now about 600 feet in length) 
towards a wide lead of gold bearing rock. On the head of 
Wood River are many leads of low grade silver ore, and some 
gold bearing rock. A well known Bald Mountain mine, on 
the west side, lies partly in this county. Farther to the north 
the Sunlight mines are located, on Clark's Fork. All these 
mines would become valuable properties, where there are ade- 
quate railroad facilities. 

In this county are situated the cities of Cody, Meeteetse, 
Garland, Basin. Byron. Cowley, Lovell. Burlington. Germania, 
Otto and 'Bonanza. At Bonanza there has recently been discov- 
ered lubricating and illuminating oil, and it promises to develop 
into a very rich oil district. There are business opportunities 
in all of these towns. At Cody there is a splendid opening for 
either a State or National bank ; at Burlington, an opening 
for a harness or hardware store and a bank ; at Garland, an 
opening for a drug store; there is an opening at either Lovell, 
Cowley or Byron for a good flouring mill and beet sugar fac- 
tory. 

From Cody tally-ho stages will run to Mammoth Hot 
Springs, in the Yellowstone National Park, a distance of fifty 
miles, through scenery which is not equalled in the Alps. See 
article, this pamphlet, entitled "Yellowstone National Park." 

Big Horn Hot Springs. — These springs were ceded to the 
State in 1897, together with ten miles square of land from the 
Shoshone Indian Reservation, and are located on the Big Horn 
River, just opposite Thermopolis, about fifty-four miles in a 
northerly, direction from the center of the State. The main 
spring is on the east side of the river, about 500 feet back from 
the bank of the stream, and comes to the surface at the foot of 
Monument Hill, which rises about 250 feet above the spring. 
The surface of the spring is about forty-five feet above the 
river. The stream running from the spring to the river is 
about seven feet wide and two and seven-tenths feet deep, 
and carries about 18,600,000 gallons of water every twenty-four 
hours. The temperature of the spring is 135° F. The spring 
is situated on the east side of a slightly sloping plateau, which 
contains about ten acres of land, which is covered by a heavy 



loo The Statk of Wyoming. 

coating of alkaline salts and sodium, which have been deposited 
by the hot mineral waters spreading over the surface. This 
coating is from ten to forty feet thick, and is naturally of a 
pure white color. There are many terraces on the edge of the 
formation, making a very picturesque appearance. There are 
man}- traces of volcanic action to be seen surrounding the 
springs and formation on the east, north and west sides. 
These springs equal, in every respect, the famous European 
springs of Carlsbad and Aix-la-Chapelle, or the Arkansas 
springs, and are equal in curative properties to the Saratoga 
Hot Springs. (See Frontispiece.) 

Analysis of Water. 

Grams per Liter. Grains per Gallon. 

Silica 0855 4-987 

Iron and alumina 0039 .227 

Lithia Trace Trace 

Potash 1 109 6.467 

Soda 3515 20.468 

Lime 4813 28.067 

Magnesia mi 6.478 

Hydrochloric acid . . .3550 20.749 

Sulphuric acid .5008 29.205 

Carbonic acid 5052 ^7-79^ 

(Less oxygen equiva- 
lent of chlorine).. . (.0806) (4.665) 

Total solids . . . .2.2260 129.81 1 

Calculated as Salts. 

Grams per Liter. Grams per Gallon. 

Silica 0855 4.986 

Iron and alumina 0039 .227 

Potassium chloride. . .1756 10.240 

Sodium sulphate 2591 ^S-HO 

Sodium chloride 4492 26.195 

Magnesium sulphate. .3334 19-443 

Calcium sulphate . . . .2256 13-156 

Calcium carbonate . . .6937 40.454 

Total solids . . . .2.2260 129.81 1 

The United States land office for this county is at Lander, 
except for a few townships in the eastern part of the county, 
which are in the Buffalo land office district. 



Carbon County. 



Carbon County. 



Carbon County was organized in 1870 and was named from 
the immense coal deposits which underHe the comity. It has 
an area of 11,061 square miles, is noted for its vast herds of 
sheep, its fine cattle and, above all. its rich coal and mineral de- 
posits. It is the richest county in mineral resources and stands 
second to none in its stock raising. The total number of acres 
listed for taxation is 1,218.353, a"<^l ^^^^ valuation of all real estate 
in the county, including town lots, is $2,238.240 ; bonded indebt- 
edness, $129,200; tax levy, 17 1-3 mills; the total value of as- 
sessable property in the county, $5,534,731. 

Rawlins is on the Union Pacific railroad, and is the county 
seat of Carbon County. Altitude, about 7,000 feet. It has a 
population of about 2,500 ; has roundhouses and extensive ma- 
chine shops. It is a distributing point for an outlying country, 
both north and south of the railroad. Daily and tri-weekly 
stages leave here for points north and south. The new State 
penitentiary, costing $100,000, is located here, and also a sub- 
stantial stone court house and a fine public school building, which 
cost, respectively, $50,000 and $35,000. Here are located and 
operated fine building stone quarries, the Rawlins sandstone 
being shipped out of the State both east and west. The beautiful 
new Government l)uilding at Cheyenne was built of this stone 
last year, as was the State Capitol about fifteen years ago. Here 
also are located the great mineral red paint mines (known as 
Rawlins Red), from which the paint for the Brooklyn bridge 
was originally procured. This ore is shipped to Denver and much 
used by the smelters as a flux. The city is also the supply point 
for and the headquarters of a vast sheep and wool industr}-. 

Saratoga, a beautiful town of 1,000 inhabitants, is situated 
twenty-three miles south of the Union Pacific railroad, in the 
heart of the great Platte \^alley, and is the gateway to the re- 
nowned Grand Encampment mining district, and is noted for 
its medicinal hot springs. The temperature of the water is 135 
degres Fahrenheit. From their chemical analysis, we would say 
that these springs were alkaline-sulphur, in combination with 
salines and calcereous salts. They closely resemble in their 
different properties the famous European springs of Carlsbad, 
Marienbad, Ems, Teplitz and Aix-la-Chapelle. 

Their properties may be summed up as stimulating, absorp- 
tive, alterative and reconstructive, and clinical results have proven 



I02 The State of Wyoming. 

all the claims made for them by their chemical analysis. It is 
difficult to state what diseases are most bnefited by a course of 
baths at these thermal waters. Among the list of those maladies 
which have been relieved at the springs may be mentioned all as 
acute, sub-acute and chronic diseases of all mucus membranes, 
such as catarrh of the nasal passages, the mouth and pharynx, the 
throat, bronchial tubes, the stomach and the whole alimentary 
canal : dyspepsia, due to hyperacidity of the stomach and gastric 
ulcers ; congestion of the liver, due to catarrh of the bile ducts 
and a sluggish portal circulation, and beginning cirrhosis, acute 
and chronic catarrh of the whole genito-urinary tract. The water 
acts not only by its chemical ingredients in these instances, but 
also mechanically as a sluice upon the system. It is well, there- 
fore, for patients to drink it liberally. The water has undoubted 
beneficial influence upon gravel, lithiasis and the uric acid 
diathesis. 

By its thermal properties this water has an antiphlogistic 
effect upon all the pelvic organs. It allays congestion and mod- 
ifies inflammation. It decidedly increases tissue metamorphosis, 
and in this way helps to eliminate poisons and impurities from 
the system. This explains its rapid action as an absorptive and 
alterative. It certainly acts soothingly upon the brain and the 
great nerve centers, and upon the general nervous system, allay- 
ing nervous irritability and neuralgias, and relieves those forms 
of paralysis due to peripheral changes, and in a great many in- 
stances probably by absorbing exudations upon the nerve sheaths. 

Its alterative properties are most notably shown in cases 
of rheumatism, some forms of gout and specific venereal diseases. 
Rheumatism, more especially the acute and chronic articular 
variety, is speedily relieved. The muscular form yields readily, 
and rapid absorption of cartilaginous and bony substances follows 
a course at the springs in that most dreaded form of all rheu- 
matoid afflictions, the arthritis deformans. 

In the treatment of all the disorders which have rendered 
the Hot Springs of Arkansas and the springs of Aix-la-Chapelle, 
France, famous, the Saratoga springs are fully equal, if not 
superior. The great amount of carbonate of lime and other 
earthy salts make the Saratoga waters the remedy par excellence 
for rachitic and osteomalicious patients by acting as a recon- 
structive agent and an upbuilder of tissues and bone formation. 








Q 



1 5 



Carhox County, 



103 



Atialysis of the Water. 

Grains per U. S. Gal. Pts. per 100,000. 

Sodium chloride 58.0807 89.3322 

Sodium sulphate 10.2510 17-5832 

Potassium sulphate 10.4603 ' 17-942- 

Calcium sulphate 21.0410 36.0909 

Calcium carbonate 4433 7604 

Magnesium carbonate 1.2782 2.1924 

Silica 37195 6.3799 

Iron and aluminum (oxides) 1 108 .1900 

99.3848 170.4712 

Sanitary analysis showing that this water is entirely free 
from every kind of contamination : 

Grains per L'. S. Gal. Pts. per 100,000. 

Chlorine in chlorides 31-5600 54-1338 

Equivalent to sodium chloride 52.0807 89.3322 

Phosphates as P2 O5 None None 

Nitrogen in nitrites None None 

Nitrogen in nitrates None None 

Free ammonia 0023 .0040 

Albumoid ammonia 0022 .0038 

Total nitrogen 0037 .0064 

Hardness equiv. to carb. lime, before 

boiling 15-8503 27.1875 

Hardness equiv. to carb. of lime, af- 
ter boiling 15-8503 27.1875 

Organic and volatile (loss on igni- 
tion ) 3.4688 5-9500 

Mineral matter (non volatile) CO2 
restored with ammonium car- 
bonate 99-1975 170.1500 

Total solids (by evaporation) dried 

at 110° C 102.6663 176.1000 

These waters when bottled are unsurpassed by any in the 
United States for drinking purposes, for they are not only pure 
and as pleasant as the Manitou or Idaho waters, but have the 
advantage also of the medicinal qualities so beneficial to the stom- 
ach and kidneys. 

The North Platte River, in which are three wooded islands, 
runs through the city. It is an ideal place for a summer re- 
sort and sanitarium. The Sierra Madre Mountains on the west 
and south, and the Medicine Bow Range on the east, are each 
within two or three hours' drive, and present a beautiful view 



I04 The State oe Wyoming. 

at all times. The trout fishing in the river and the mountain 
streams is unsurpassed. The summers are delightfully cool, 
there being no night when a blanket is not needed. With the 
completion of the Union Pacific's proposed connection, thou- 
sands who are in search of pleasure, health and business will 
yearly be attracted to this section. There is an old saying, ''See 
Rome and die," but the legend of the West is, '"See Saratoga 
and live." 

By reason of the destruction of the Hot Springs Hotel and 
bath house by fire, a new large, modern hotel and bath facil- 
ities are needed. This presents one of the best opportunities 
for investment in the West. 

Encampment is a town of recent origin, brought forth by 
the prospects of the new gold and copper mines opened in the 
Grand Encampment district, and has a population of about 
I, GOO. It has a smelter, concentratng works and tramway to the 
top of the Rockies for conducting the ore. It is situated on the 
Grand Encampment River, twenty miles south of Saratoga. See 
article on Mineral Resources. 

Schools. — The county has a good public school system. 
The number of schools is thirty-nine and the number of children 
of school age is 1,500. 

Live Stock. — One of the chief industries of the county is 
its live stock interests. Of sheep there were, for the year 1903, 
437,754, valued at $828,432; of cattle, 28,345, valued at $393,- 
432; of horses and mules, 6,405, valued at $160,428. 

Agriculture. — This industry has for many years been an 
important one, continually on the increase, and has assumed 
large proportions in the Upper Platte Valley country and on the 
tributaries of the North Platte River. Wheat, oats and barley 
are raised in large quantities and command a ready price for 
home consumption. The wheat is a very fine, plump grain, mak- 
ing it the very best of flour. The oats are of a superior quality, 
and. run from forty-five to fifty pounds to the bushel. All of 
these crops yield abundantly. Hay is an important crop, and 
the yield per acre is always satisfactory. Timothy and redtop 
grow luxuriantly, but the native hay, of which there is a large 
quantity raised, is much in favor. Alfalfa or lucerne is a prime 
favorite, and there is a large acreage devoted to the production 
of that crop. It yields from three to four tons per acre, each 
year, of a very superior quality, much esteemed by the stockmen 
for its fat-producing qualities. All kinds of vegetables and 
small fruits grow abundantly, and the entire home market is 
supplied by home production. All farming is by irrigation. 



Converse County. 105 

There are still many thousand acres of upland, on either side of 
the Platte River, that are open to settlement, and this stream fur- 
nishes water for an almost unlimited acreage. The feeding of 
cattle and sheep for spring market is largely engaged in by the 
inhabitants of this county, who annually ship large numbers of 
sheep and fat beeves to Eastern markets, commanding the high- 
est market prices. 

Mining. — See article on Mining Resources. 

Climate. — The climate of Carbon County is beautiful, brac- 
ing and invigorating, mild and pleasant during the summer 
months and not severely cold or uncomfortable in the winter. 
It is peculiarly suited to the building up of weak lungs, and is 
conducive to health and longevity. 

Water and Timber. — Carbon County is well watered by- 
mountain streams, the North Platte River flowing the entire 
length of the county from south to north. Nearly every portion 
is abundantly supplied with water for irrigation purposes. The 
numerous mountain ranges in the county are covered with an 
excellent quality of pine timber suitable for building purposes 
and for the manufacture of lumber, as well as for fuel. 

Game and Fish. — Carbon County streams, while originally 
barren of trout, have been well stocked with every variety of that 
kind of fish, and are today the finest trout streams to be found 
anywhere. Trout w^eighing from ten to twelve pounds are fre- 
quently taken from the North Platte River, and every stream 
swarms with the finny tribe. Game of all kinds, including bear, 
elk and deer, are to be found in the mountain ranges and tim- 
ber ; sage hens and grouse inhabit the plains and mountains, 
and the streams and lakes are well supplied with ducks and 
geese. 

This county is in the Cheyenne United States land office 
district. 



Converse County. 



This county was organized in 1888 and named after A. R. 
Converse, a pioneer cattleman, who had large interests in that 
section. It has a population of 3,337 and an area of 7,000 square 
miles. The North Platte River, with its many tributaries, flows 
through the central portion of the county, affording a bountiful 



io6 The State of Wyoming. 

water supply for thousands of acres of land which have been 
brought under cultivation, and its wide plains are among the best 
pasture lands of the State. The Chicago and Northwestern 
branch railroad traverses its entire length from east to west, and 
the Colorado and Southern railroad gives an outlet to the south. 
The fotal assessed valuation of the county in 1903 was given as 
$2,642,427 ; the county bonded indebtedness, $36,900 ; rate of 
taxation, 18 mills. 

Until a very late date, the tract of country known as Con- 
verse County was given up to stock growing. Today there are 
thousands of acres of land under cultivation. Most of the cul- 
tivated acreage can be classed as bottom or low land, bordering 
upon streams, although in the southeastern portion lands are 
producing good crops of corn, wheat and oats without irrigation. 
The principal crop in small grain is oats. With irrigation, oats 
have reached the enormous yield of eighty bushels to the acre, 
with a stool of six feet. Wheat will yield fifteen bushels on sod 
and twenty bushels on old ground. Rye and barley produce 
twenty bushels to the acre. Tame grasses — timothy, clover and 
millet — reach a luxuriant growth. Alfalfa does well without 
irrigation, but when placed under ditch, affords two and three 
full crops per year. Corn makes a good crop in the eastern end 
of the county. Vegetables, under irrigation and in the bottom 
lands adjacent to streams, attain a growth equal to California's 
famous products. Potatoes yield several hundred bushels to the 
acre. Pumpkins and squashes reach a weight of 100 and even 
160 pounds; cabbage, twenty-three pounds; turnips, twelve to 
fifteen pounds, and other vegetables in like proportion. 

Converse County's chief mineral resources are coal, iron 
and copper. The finest coal found west of the Missouri River 
is in the Shawnee Basin, fifty miles west of the Nebraska State 
line. Near Douglas is found a superior article of lignite, unsur- 
passed as a stove coal and a good steam fuel, but the vein is only 
two and one-half feet thick. At Inez, sixteen miles west of 
Douglas, the vein is seven feet thick, with a sandstone roof. At 
Glenrock, twenty miles further west, the vein is about six feet 
thick, with a sandstone roof. A new mine has just been opened 
at Big Muddy, near Glenrock. Coal "crops out" in greater or 
less veins in a hundred localities throughout the western portion 
of the county, and particularly in the northwestern portion. As- 
says of $68 in silver and gold, $240 in "horn" silver, and forty to 
fifty per cent, in copper have been obtained from prospect holes 
all along the Laramie Range in this county, and particularly 
from Spring Canon, some fifteen miles south of Douglas. Lime- 
stone is found in abundance, and quarries of a superior quality 
of sandstone have been located. Marble equal in grain and vari- 



Crook County. 107 

€ty and beautiful color to the best has been discovered in several 
localities, while g-ypsum, from which is made the plaster of paris 
of commerce, exists in inexhaustible quantities. Large deposits 
of mica, glass sand and potters' clay have also been located. 

Plenty of timber grows in the mountains and foothills, prin- 
cipally pine and spruce, and native lumber is supplied at rea- 
sonable prices. There is plenty of good land in the county sub- 
ject to location, but it is being rapidly taken up. Lubricating oil 
is found in different portions of the county. Capital is at pres- 
ent engaged in developing this industry. 

Douglas, the county seat, is located on the North Platte 
River and on the line of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri 
"Valley railroad, and has a population of about 1,000. The town 
is quite prosperous, being the center of a large and growing 
trade. The high prices received for cattle, sheep, wool and all 
farm products add greatly to its present prosperty. Its numerous 
business places, substantial dwellings, well graded streets, side- 
walks, waterworks and other improvements attest the prosperity 
of the place. Its bonded indebtedness is $17,000. 

There are large oil fields within a short distance of Douglas, 
and gas was recently struck in commercial quantities within 
eight miles of the town. See article, this pamphlet, on Oil. 

There are gold and copper mines south of Douglas. 

Other towns of importance are Glenrock, Lusk and Man- 
ville, the former a coal mining town of about 600 population, and 
the two latter towns to which agricultural and stock raising dis- 
tricts are tributary. 

The United States land office for this county is at Douglas. 



Crook County. 



Crook County was organized in 1875, and was named after 
General George Crook, the noted Indian fighter. 

This county is situated on the northeastern corner of the 
State. It is 102 miles long by sixty wide, and has an area of 
6,120 square miles. Lands assessed, 194,697 acres; total as- 
sessed value of all property, $2,171,510; tax levy, 22 1-3 mills; 
bonded indebtedness, $51,500; number of schools, 45; number 
of school children, 902; population, 3,137. The county is 
traversed by the Burlington railroad. 



io8 The State oe Wyoming. 

County Seat. — The county seat and principal town is Sun- 
dance, with a population of about 500, situated at the foot of 
Sundance Mountain, on the banks of Sundance Creek, a beau- 
tiful mountain stream, and in the center of a fertile district. 
The city owns its system of waterworks, substantial city halU 
fire apparatus, etc. Merchandising in all its branches, banking 
and commercial interests are well represented. The municipal 
bonded indebtedness is $14,725, at six per cent, interest. 

Altitude and Climate. — The altitude of Crook County av- 
erages about 4,000 feet above sea level ; the air is dry, bracing 
and healthful, with a mean annual temperature of 41. i degrees. 
The yearly precipitation averages twenty-four inches. Agri- 
cultural products are grown throughout the county without 
irrigation. 

Agriculture. — Agricultural pursuits claim the attention of 
many of the citizens of the county, and wheat, oats, rye, corn 
and every variety of garden vegetabels are raised with profit, 
in many instances both the yield and the quality of the product 
being worthy of particular mention. Wild fruits of the smaller 
varieties are especially abundant, and considerable progress has 
already been made in the cultivation of the tame varieties. 
The soil throughout the county is a dark rich loam of great 
fertility, and the fact that crops can be raised without irriga- 
tion facilitates agricultural pursuits. Wheat yields twenty 
bushels, oats thirty bushels, rye thirty bushels, corn twenty- 
five bushels, potatoes 100 bushels per acre ; alfalfa, two cut- 
tings, three tons per acre each cutting ; millet four tons, tim- 
othy two tons. Apples do well, as do all kinds of small fruits. 

This is the only county in the State where agricultural 
crops are generally raised without irrigation, and this is very 
fortunately so, as there are but few streams of sufficient size 
and fall to furnish sufficient water for irrigation purposes. 

This county is very much in need of railroad connections. 
A branch line from the Burlington would add greatly to the 
deevlopment of the county. 

Live Stock. — In connection with agricultural pursuits, all 
kinds of live stock are raised extensively. The present return 
for assessment shows 1,700 neat cattle, 7,935 horses and 81,546 
sheep, with a total live stock valuation of $1,029,306. 

Mining. — Gold, silver, tin, copper, lead and manganese 
have been found in considerable quantities, and extensive fields 
of a good quality of semi-bituminous coal are being developed. 
Much of the future wealth of Crook County will undoubtedly 
come from the development of the coal fields of that localitv. 




Phcto by Stimson, 

THE DEVIL'S TOWER, CROOK COUNTY. 



Fremont County. 109 

Ouite extensive gold placer mining operations have been con- 
ducted on Sand Creek and vicinity, with profit to the operators. 
Granite, porphyry, limestone and other building stones and fine 
marbles are found in great variety in abundance. A railroad 
has been built from Belle Fourche, South Dakota, to the Aladdin 
coal mines, near Barrett, Wyoming, a distance of eighteen 
miles. There are also extensive oil fields. 

Streams and Topography. — The county is traversed- by 
the Belle Fourche, the Little Missouri and the Little Powder 
Rivers. The water of the streams generally is pure and suitable 
to domestic uses. Along these streams are fertile valleys of fine 
farming lands, and between the streams are found extensive 
plateaus, suitable for grazing. Low ranges of mountains, well 
timbered, traverse the county, adding to the attractiveness of the 
landscape. 

Timber. — The timber found on these mountain ranges is a 
"heavy growth of spruce and pine. Oak, ash and cottonwood 
trees also abound. 

Fishing. — A branch of the State Fish Hatchery is located 
in Crook County, not far from Sundance, and many of the 
streams of the county furnish excellent sport to those who enjoy 
the pursuit of game fish. 

Natural Curiosities. — A remarkable formation known as 
the Devil's Tower, a solid basaltic column rising abruptly to a 
height of 1,300 feet, and making a landmark that can be seen 
for miles in every direction, is a notable feature of the topography 
of this county. 

This county is in the Sundance United States land ofifice 
district. 



Fremont County. 



Fremont is the west central county of the State, and has an 
average width, north and south, of 100 miles, and a length, east 
and west, of 125 miles. It was organized in 1884 and was 
named after General John C. Fremont, the noted pathfinder and 
first presidential candidate of the Republican party after its 
organization. 

The rate of taxation for 1903 was 22 1-3 mills; the number, 
of acres of land in the same year was 68,444, while the valuation 



no The State of Wyoming. 

of all assessable property in the county was $1,946,348. The 
bonded debt of the county is $32,200. 

There are no railroads in the county, but it is reached by 
daily stage from Casper, on the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri 
Valley railroad, and Rawlins, on the Union Pacific railroad. The 
mean annual temperature is 42°. The approximate elevation,, 
outside of the mountain ranges, is 5,000 feet. It is destined to 
become a great agricultural district, though at present farming 
is engaged in only for the purpose of supplying a local demand. 
Nearly a million acres are susceptible of irrigation, including the 
land which will be left in the Shoshone Indian Reservation after 
lands have been allotted to all of the Indians. This land, when 
irrigated, produces most excellent crops of wheat, oats, alfalfa 
and other kinds of hay, every variety of vegetables and small 
fruit, and, in the more sheltered parts, fine orchards of the 
Wealthy and other varieties of early apples are yielding a crop 
which is superior in flavor to any apple seen in the irrigated 
counties. The average crops per acre are : Wheat, thirty to 
forty bushels ; oats, forty to sixty bushels ; potatoes, 200 bush- 
els ; alfalfa, two to three tons each cutting, and other grasses,, 
about three tons of hay. The yield of other vegetables is in pro- 
portion to that reported for potatoes. 

The county is famous for its rich agricultural lands and its 
abundance of water for irrigation. It is also noted for its fine 
apple orchards and abundance of small fruits. The wool clip of 
the county for 1903 was 1,200,000 pounds. There are many 
small cattle ranches in the county, which have been operated 
successfully for many years. Wheat is grown in the Lander 
Valley, and it has been a profitable crop annually for the last 
fifteen years. There are three improved flouring mills in the 
county, one located at Lander, another in Milford, the third at 
the Shoshone Agency. All these mills turn out high patent pro- 
cess flour, and the product is equal to the best anywhere. Oats 
and all kinds of garden vegetables grow to perfection. Alfalfa 
and timothy yield abundantly, and native hay grasses abound ev- 
erywhere. 

There is an abundance of timber for building purposes and 
saw mills to cut up the lumber. A fine quality of coal is found 
in inexhaustible quantities all along the valley, which provides 
a cheap fuel for domestic and steam purposes. There are a num- 
ber of oil springs in the county, and ten miles south of Lander 
are thirteen flowing wells, with a capacity of 200 barrels per day 
each. These wells are plugged at present, awaiting the advent 
of a railroad. See article on Oil. White and red sandstone, for 
building purposes, is found in every part of the county. Eight 
miles west of Lander there is a deposit of gray marble, and near 



Fremont County. hi 

it an abundant supply of granite. Both of these are susceptible 
of a high polish. 

The streams of Fremont County are numerous and of a last- 
ing character. The Big Horn. Wind River, Little Wind and the 
numerous branches of the Popo Agie are the fountains heads of 
the Missouri River. They take their rise in the Wind River 
Range, whose mountains are among the loftiest of the Conti- 
nental Divide. 

Fish abound in all the streams of this section, and trout 
fishing is the pastime of many. There is an abundance of elk, 
deer and antelope, and a number of varieties of bear in the W^ind 
River Range and Owl Creek Mountains, which extend nearly 
the whole length of the county. 

Southern Fremont County has numerous gold deposits, both 
in placer and quartz. See "Mineral Resources," this pamphlet. 

Lander, the county seat, is centrally located, and is sur- 
rounded by hundreds of improved farms. The court house is a 
fine, large brick structure. The public school building is of 
brick and contains nine large rooms. The school is graded, and 
the graduates of the high school are admitted to the State Uni- 
versity. Three religious societies have church edifices, namely, 
Methodist, Episcopal and Catholic. The population is y},"]. The 
site for the Agricultural College is located here. 

The town of Thermopolis is situated on the west side of the 
Big Horn Hot Springs Reservation, and contains about 300 in- 
habitants. This town was started in September, 1897, and is 
growing rapidly. The Big Horn Hot Springs are just across 
the river, in Big Horn County, and are a source of considerable 
revenue to the town. See "Big Horn County." 

Opening Indian Lands to Homesteaders. — There is half a 
million acres of unused land on the Shoshone Reservation, which 
can be irrigated at a cost not to exceed two dollars per acre, and 
unlimited water with which to irrigate it. 

The Shoshone or Wind River Indian Reservation of Wyo- 
ming will soon be a matter of history, and in the constantly ad- 
vancing movement of civilization a large portion of its rich area 
of irrigable land will shortly be open to settlement by the home- 
seeker and the home-maker of the dominating race. 

The reservation contains 2,800,000 acres in a body nearly 
seventy miles square, along the valleys of the Wind, Big Horn 
and Popo Agie Rivers and their tributaries in Fremont county. 
The reservation was established in 1868 by a treaty made at 
Fort Bridger with the Shoshone and Bannock Indians. 

The greater portion of the lands which will be opened for 
settlement is suitable only for grazing purposes. These lands 



112 The State of Wyoming. 

comprise the northern portion of the reservation, including the 
Owl Creek Range and an extensive area of "bad lands," used for 
grazing, extending from the South Fork of Owl Creek, which 
forms the northern boundary of the reservation, to the valley of 
the Big Wind River. The valleys of the Big Wind River, the 
Little Wind River, the Popo Agie River and many of their trib- 
utaries contain some of the finest farming land in the State. The 
water supply is ample to irrigate nearly all of the land suscep- 
tible of cultivation, and eventually the reservation will become 
the garden spot of Wyoming. 

The United States land ofifice for this county is at Lander, 
except for a few townships in the southeastern portion of the 
county, which are in the Cheyenne land office district. 



Johnson County. 



Johnson County was organized in 1879, and was named 
after E. P. Johnson, a prominent attorney of Cheyenne. It has 
an area of 4,046 square miles. The total assessed valuation of 
the county in 1903 was $1,930,851 ; county bonded indebtedness, 
$50,800; tax levy, 23^ mills; the population of the county, 
2,361. With its rolling plains, extensive forests and fertile val- 
leys, it is justly regarded as one of the best sections of the State. 
The Big Horn Mountains have an elevation of 14,000 feet, while 
many of the valleys are less than 4,000 feet above the sea level. 

The resources of the county are varied. Stock raising is 
the chief industry. The vast open range and abundant streams 
of pure water make it a paradise for cattle. There are thou- 
sands of acres of grazing lands, and sufficient land can be irri- 
gated to produce enough hay, grain and alfalfa to make winter 
feed for all the live stock that the range will support in summer. 
The county is one of the best watered counties in Wyoming, 
being well supplied with small streams heading in the Big Horn 
Mountains, and flowing generally to the northeast and north- 
west. 

The northern part of the county is a good farming country 
and easily accessible by means of the Burlington railway. All 
kinds of vegetables are successfully raised ; cabbage, turnips, 
rutabagas, lettuce, parsnips, cauliflower, beets, carrots, celery, 
broomcorn and sorghum cane are all grown with success, 
while melons and small fruits of unequalled flavor and excel- 



JOHXSOX Coi'NTV. 113 

lence are cultivated. Yield of oats per acre is forty-five bushels 
and upwards ; potatoes average 400 bushels ; alfalfa produces 
two crops per year, of from four to seven tons per acre ; and 
other crops in proportion. 

There are 30.000 acres under irrigation, and 200,000 acres 
are susceptible of irrigation and only await the advent of the in- 
dustrious settler, who can here obtain a good home cheap, and 
there are 2,000,000 acres of available grazing land. Pasture 
lands sell for $2, irrigated from $15 to $25. Prices of products 
obtained by ranchmen are as follows: Alfalfa, $3.50; timothy, 
$6; bluestem, native, $8 per ton; oats, $1.25 per cwt. ; wheat 
and potatoes. $1 per cwt. There is a large supply of pine timber 
taken from the mountains, which is well suited for building pur- 
poses. Along the streams are thrifty groves of cottonwood, and 
experiments have shown that timber of various kinds can be as 
successfully grown here as in the prairie States of Kansas and 
Nebraska. 

Minerals arc yet unde\eloped. but valuable prospects in 
gold, silver and copper are found in the Big Horn Mountains. 
Oil is found in large quantities, but because of a lack of trans- 
portation facilities is not worked. 

This county is, without doubt, one of the best range coun- 
ties in the State. It has one of the finest winter ranges in the 
West, where stock can roam at will, secure from winter storms 
in the shelter afforded by the high hills and deep gulches, while 
on account of the protection given by the location of the Big 
Horn Mountains and its spurs, lying to the west and north, bliz- 
zards are unknown, and the fall of snow is the least, especially 
on the head of Powder River and its tributaries, of any place in 
the same latitude in the United States, with the probable excep- 
tion of a small strip on the Pacific coast. The hills are covered 
with a thick sod of bufifalo and the other native grasses, and the 
cattle on the range in the central and southern parts of the county 
keep in as good condition as many of those in pastures where 
they have been fed nearly all the winter. 

BufFalo, the county seat, has always been a prosperous 
town, and at the present time has a population of 1,000. It is 
the business center of a fine grazing and agricultural district and 
has superior natural advantages. 

Clear Creek could furnish water power for a hundred fac- 
tories, besides irrigating several thousand acres of land. At the 
present time Buffalo is thirty-two miles from the Burlington 
railroad, but at no distant day expects to have a railroad connec- 
tion. Its citizens have been very enterprising in building up the 
town, having erected a $40,000 court house, a $15,000 school 



114 The State oe Wyoming. 

house and numerous brick buildings. The city also maintains 
an electric light plant, flouring mill, waterworks and two news- 
papers. Two stage lines are operated, one leaving daily for 
Sheridan and the other for Clearmont, the nearest railroad point. 
Last year more than four million pounds of freight was hauled 
by wagon over the latter route. The town of Buffalo needs an 
electric railway connection with the Burlington Route, a distance 
of forty miles down Clear Creek, where water power can be 
obtained therefor. 

The Government, under the National Irrigation act, con- 
templates using the waters from Lake De Smet for the irrigation 
of a vast tract of land, which, if done, will open same to settle- 
ment, with water on the land, within a year or two. 

Here is located the State Soldiers' Home, upon 1,270 acres 
of fertile land. The buildings cost over $100,000. 

The L'nited States land oflice for this countv is at Buffalo. 



Laramie County. 



Laramie County was organized in 1879, ^"d was named 
after Jacques Laramie, a French fur trader, who was killed near 
the mouth of the Laramie River about 1820. The Laramie 
River, Laramie Peak, Fort Laramie and Laramie County were 
named after this pioneer. 

The county indebtedness is $400,000, and the rate of tax- 
ation is 21%. mills. The total number of acres of land listed for 
taxation is 1,050,359, and the value of all real estate in the 
county, including town lots, is $3,028,431 ; total value of all as- 
sessable property in the county is $6,569,077. 

This county is located in the southeastern portion of Wyo- 
ming, and comprises an area of 7,000 square miles. It ranks 
first in popvilation and wealth, and was one of the original four 
counties of the Territory of Wyoming. The rolling plains along 
the eastern slope of the Black Hills Range, varying in altitude 
from 4,000 to 8,000 feet, are its natural features. These plains 
are peculiarly adapted to grazing. In all parts of the county are 
found numerous streams. The total acreage of the county is 
4,520,000, of which 3,000,000 acres are fine grazing land and 
1.000,000 are susceptible of being made rich agricultural lands. 

It is full of undeveloped resources ; has iron, coal, copper, gold 
and silver, sandstone, marble, granite, mineral paint and mica. The 



Laramie Couxtv. 115 

land is generally free from stones and other obstructions, and is 
easily broken and cultivated, and is very fertile. 

Laramie County has passed from a purely pastoral condi- 
tion to one of mixed husbandry. Stock raising, farming, dairy- 
ing and gardening are practiced in varying degrees. The av- 
erage temperature is about 60° F. : the rainfall fourteen inches. 
All field crops common to the West succeed well. 

The development through irrigation has not been confined 
to any particular locality. The soil is exceedingly fertile, the 
water reliable and the altitude sufficiently low to warrant the 
planting of any of the ordinary field crops. The creeks are 
lined, therefore, with the farms of ranchmen, who, combining 
farming and stock raising, are prosperous. 

County Seat. — The City of Cheyenne is the county seat of 
Laramie County and the State Capital, and has a population of 
14.000. Owing to the rapid advancement of Cheyenne after the 
settlement in 1867, it gained the title of "The Magic City," and 
has always been noted for the wealth and enterprise of its citi- 
zens. The city was designated as the capital when Wyoming 
Territory w^as organized in 1869. It is 516 miles west of Omaha, 
on the line of the Union Pacific. It is also the junction point 
of the Colorado and Southern and the terminus of the Burlington 
Route. 

Cheyenne has an e.xtensive system of waterworks, the latest 
and most approved sewerage system, fire department and fire 
alarm system, telephone exchange, arc and incandescent electric 
lighted streets, besides gas for general use ; has a new opera 
house building in process of construction, to cost $35,000 ; a 
S30.000 club house, fine business blocks, elegant private resi- 
dences, two banks, eleven churches, two daily newspapers and 
State Capitol costing $300,000. Among the other institutions 
are the Federal building and postofiice, costing $350,000 ; Elks' 
home, costing $30,000; Masonic Temple, $50,000; five public 
school buildings, built at an average cost of $30,000; convent 
school, erected at a cost of over $50,000; a county hospital, a 
county court house and jail, and extensive railroad shops, em- 
ploying 700 men. Andrew Carnegie gave $50,000 for the con- 
struction of a public library, which has been built. The city is 
the supply point for an immense stock raising and agricultural 
country, and its citizens are among the largest live stock owners 
in the State. 

Fort Russell, three miles from the city, is the largest and 
most important military post in the Department of the Missouri. 

There are several manufacturing establishments in the city,. 
and the volume of business transacted annually amounts to many 



ii6 • The State of Wyoming. 

thousands of dollars. A creamery recently established has a 
large business and is now building a fine cold storage plant. 

Strangers view with delight the miles of smooth stone flag- 
ging and cement sidewalks that line almost every street in Chey- 
enne. The beauty of many of the streets and avenues is greatly 
enhanced by the bright green turf on either side of the walks, 
which, together with long lines of trees, forms an agreeable 
feature of the city's landscape. Nowhere can be found more 
delightful drives. Nature has provided roads equal to the 
smootli gravel roads of Central Park, New York. The people 
of Cheyenne have made it one of the most attractive places in 
which to live in America. 

One of the greatest attractions of the city is its pure and 
healthful climate. Its air is an invigorating tonic, cool in the 
summer, mild in winter. No better summer climate can be found 
in our land. 

The Wheatland Colony. — No more important enterprise 
has been undertaken and carried out to successful results in the 
reclamation of arid lands than that of the Wheatland Colony by 
the Wyoming Development Company of Cheyenne. Each year 
since the initiation of the enterprise the company has done 
much for the betterment of the system. Its great irrigation plant 
now means the successful and ultimate reclamation of fully one 
hundred thousand acres. The lands reclaimed and being re- 
claimed are in the northern half of Laramie County, by railroad 
ninety miles from Cheyenne, on either side of the Colorado and 
Southern railroad. 

In the selection of a locality for an irrigation plant, man}' 
things should be considered, among which are, a market for the 
agricultural products, the soil, water supply and accessibility to 
timber. The Wheatland Colony has all these advantages. The 
altitude, 4,500 to 4,800 feet, is the happy medium for the cul- 
tivation of lands with the aid of irrigation. 

The water is taken from the Laramie Ri\'er, the Sybille and 
Blue Grass Creeks, through three canals. Number one is thirty- 
four miles long, has a width of twenty feet on the bottom and a 
depth of four feet. Canal number two is twenty-two miles long, 
has a depth of three and one-half feet and a width on the bottom 
of twenty-two feet. Canal number three is twelve miles long, 
has a width of fifteen feet on the bottom and a depth of three 
feet. The water is turned from the Laramie River to the head 
of Blue Grass Creek by means of a tunnel. The Blue Grass 
carries the water to Sybille Creek, and from that stream the 
water is conducted by the above mentioned canals across the 
lands to be irrigated by laterals, distributed wherever necessary. 



Laramik County. 117 

To reinforce the water supply in case of drouth in any season, 
water has been turned into natural reservoirs. Number one has 
a shore line of eight miles. No more extensive reservoir has 
yet been found in the United States than number two ; it is 
seven miles long, averaging two and one-half miles in width. 
Its greatest depth is thirty-five feet, and its average depth is 
eighteen feet. It covers 6,600 acres, and has a shore line of 
thirty-five miles. It carries 118,800 acre feet of storage. 

A timber supply of sufficient abundance for all domestic 
purpose is near at hand. 

The soil is a black loam, well adapted for all small grains. 
grown in the temperate zone, alfalfa, clover, potatoes, sugar 
beets, vegetables and some varieties of Indian corn. The ex- 
periments with growing apples, cherries, plums and all small 
fruits have been satisfactory. That the soil is well adapted 
for the production of wheat, oats, barley, rye, potatoes, turnips, 
flax, beets, cabbage and certain \arieties of corn, has been 
shown by repeated tests and experiments. Timothy tloes ex- 
ceedingly well, and crops of alfalfa produced mark the coun- 
try as one of the best for growing this profitable forage plant. 
Experiments in growing sugar beets have been so successful 
that doubtless before long a sugar beet factory will be estab- 
lished in the colony, h'xperts of two of the sugar beet com- 
panies of the. United States have made very favorable reports 
to their companies on the Wheatland Colony as a place for the 
establishment of a sugar beet plant. 

The school system is of the very best. There are nine 
good schools in the colony, l^he colony is supplied witli rural 
mail delivery and collection. 

The City of Cheyenne, the towns of Guernsey, Hartville 
and Sundance, and the mining and stock raising sections afiford 
good markets for everything raised in the colony. 

Sheep and cattle feeding are no longer experimental in 
the colony. It has become a very profitable business. Alfalfa 
is the foundation of successful sheep and lamb feeding. The 
hog business is proving very profitable around Wheatland. 
Hog cholera is unknown in Wyoming. The climatic condi- 
tions are very favorable for stock growing and feeding. 

The thrifty town of AA^heatland is in the center of the 
colony. It is on the Colorado and Southern railroad, which 
connects at Cheyenne with the Union Pacific and Burlington 
systems, at Orin Junction with the Fremont, Elkhorn and 
Missouri Valley railroad (a part of the Northwestern system), 
and at Hartville Junction with the Burlington. 

The town has a population of six hundred, made up of a 
fine class of people, intelligent, hospitable and public spirited. 



ii8 The State of Wyoming. 

It has fine school buildings, three churches — Methodist, Con- 
gregational and Roman Catholic — a library and a good library 
building. The town is supplied with a telephone exchange, 
and has long distance connections with all the large towns of 
Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Idaho. There are -fiv^ general 
stores, a drug store, two livery stables, two hotels, one bank, 
a harness and saddle manufacturing establishment, two black- 
smith and carriage shops, two newspapers, five secret orders, 
a good hall and a modern roller mill with a capacity of 125 
barrels a day. 

Coal is cheap. Wood is abundant and may be had for 
simply the cutting and hauling. Good native lumber is worth 
$15 per thousand, or from $7 to $10 at the mills. Building 
stone is plenty and bricks are made in proximity to the town. 

Wheatland has a good outlook, and is one of the many 
sections of the State that promise good and speedy returns 
for capital invested. The agriculturalist who is looking for an 
ideal farming country ; cattle and sheep producers who are 
desirous for the most advantageous conditions for stock rais- 
ing; the business man who is seeking the new town full of 
promise, with a growing surrounding country, and those bro- 
ken in health who seek a favorable climate, will find good 
openings at Wheatland. The lands are selling rapidly for 
from $22.50 to $35 per acre. Ten years' time is given, with 
equal annual payments, at six per cent, interest. No payment 
except the interest has to be made the second year, which gives 
the settler an opportunity to pay for his farm even though his 
means be limited. A perpetual water right goes with each piece 
of land, and a purchaser of a Wheatland farm cannot be de- 
prived of an equal water right with every landholder any more 
than he can be deprived of the land itself. The land and water 
go together. When the lands and water have all been sold, the 
irrigation works will be absolutely under the control of those 
holding lands in the colony. 

Guernsey. — The new town of Guernsey, which is the na- 
tural railroad and business center of the iron region known 
as the Hartville Iron Range, and described elsewhere in this 
book under Mineral Resources, is located at the base of the 
Iron Range in the Valley of the Platte River. It is beautifully 
situated below the mouth of the Grand Canon in a broad 
sweep of intervals in a bend of the river. With the develop- 
ment of the mining and stock industries and railroad building, 
with which its interests are identified, and from which it sprang 
into existence, its future growth is assured. 

Its location marks it as one of the coming industrial cities 



Natrona County. 119 

of Wyoming. It already has two railroads, and with the 
western extensions of the Burlington, will become a division 
headquarters on its continental system, and will have connec- 
tion with the mining camps, not onh^ of the Hartville Range, 
but those of Halleck Canon, Plumbago Canon, Squaw Moun- 
tain, Horse Shoe Park, North Laramie and the Peak Range. 
North of Guernsey are the mining camps of W'halen Canon, 
Wildcat, Aluskrat and Rawhide Buttes, which will be reached 
by a spur on the eastern slope of the mountains. 

The establishment of industrial enterprises at Guernsey 
is to be promoted by the building of a big dam at the mouth 
of the canon, where the immense volume of Platte River water 
will be utilized for electric light, power and water systems 
second to none in the West. The electric power generated 
here will not only furnish light, but will in time operate all 
the mines of the range, while the water supply will irrigate 
thousands of acres of land along the valley, as well as provide 
an admirable water system for the City of Guernsey, with its 
mills, smelters and workshops, at a small expense. 

Hartville is the headquarters of the Colorado Fuel and Iron 
Company's mines. Development work on some of the mining 
claims near Hartville show indications of good gold values, and 
a gold mining district may be developed this year. 

The United States land office for this county is located 
at Chevenne. 



Natrona County. 



Natrona County was organized in 1888. It derives its 
name from the natural deposits of natron, or carbonate of 
soda, found in the numerous basins or lakes that abound in 
that section of Wyoming. Located in almost the geographical 
center of the State, it covers an area of about seventy miles 
square. The Platte River, with its numerous tributaries trav- 
ersing its entire length, a distance of seventy-five miles from 
east to west, furnishes an abundant supply of water for irri- 
gation, and as the mean elevation is 5,500 feet, the farmers 
of the county can raise all the hardy grains, vegetables and 
fruit common to the Northwestern States. 

At the present time the live stock interest leads all other 
industries in this county. The Fremont, Elkhorn and Mis- 



I20 The State of Wyoming. 

souri railroacl, a branch of the great Northwestern system, 
affords an outlet to Eastern markets. The assessed wealth 
of Natrona County in 1903 was $2,192,582, and was divided 
as follows: Sheep, $882,002 ; cattle, $216,219; horses. $106,- 
917, and improvements, $282,972. The county indebtedness 
is $15,900, and the rate of taxation for the year 1903 was 
20 1-3 mills. 

It will be observed that the raising of sheep overshadows 
all other industries. The fleece of a Natrona County sheep 
will average seven pounds, and the total wool clip for 1903 
approximates 3,000,000 pounds. 

But it is the undeveloped resources of Natrona County 
that offer the greatest inducement for the investment of cap- 
ital. Already the oil industry has reached an important stage 
of development. The oil district, which covers an area of 
2,000 square miles, has been largely prospected, and numerous 
wells have been drilled, which yield an unlimited supply of 
natural oils. About 700,000 acres of oil lands have been lo- 
cated in Natrona County. The oil is lubricant in character, 
and is said by experts to be the best in the world. The prin- 
cipal basin is on Salt Creek. Wells have also been drilled on 
the South Fork of Powder River, in the Rattlesnake district, 
and on Casper Creek. In every district the finest of lubricat- 
ing oil has been found. See article on Oil. 

Steam coal exists in Natrona County. Lignite coal, vary- 
ing from a few inches to several feet in thickness, is found in 
various parts of the county. The inexhaustible deposits of 
sulphate and carbonate of soda, which are formed from natural 
springs, will some day be the basis of a great and profitable 
industry, and only await the magic touch of capital and skill 
to develop their greatest possibilities. 

Among the natural wonders of Natrona County are the 
Alcova Hot Springs, which possess medicinal virtues for the 
treatment of rheumatism and kindred diseases. These springs 
are located on the North Platte River, in the mountains, and 
are surrounded with beautiful scenery. Considerable devel- 
opment has been made in the mining of precious metals. 
Deposits of gold and silver ore are found in the mountains. 
Low grade ores, which assay from five to ten dollars a ton, 
are abundant, and in time can be profitably mined. Coal, 
copper, iron and valuable building stone are found in various 
localities. The best developed copper claims in Casper ]iIoun- 
tain assay from 37 to 40 per cent, copper. Asbestos is also 
found in paying quantities. 

Casper, the county seat of Natrona County, is a thriving 
town of 1,200 inhabitants. It is the western terminus of the 




Phcto by Stimson. 

GRAND CANON OF NORTH PLATTE RIVKR NATRONA COUNTY. 




Photo by Stimson. 

NATURE'S DOUBLE-HEADED SPHYNX. 



Sheridan County. 121 

Fremont, Elkhorn and ^Missouri \'alley railroad, which gives 
it a large and important freighting business and trade with 
the coimtry west of Casper, including the prosperous coun- 
ties of Fremont and Big Horn. Its fine business blocks, 
churches and school houses attest the liberality of the people. 
Among the recent improvements are fine waterworks and a 
steam plant for shearing sheep. There are about 7,000 acres 
of land irrigated, while there are 50,000 acres susceptible of 
irrigation and 3,700,000 acres of pasture lands. 

There is in this county seat a great opening for a ditch 
which will irrigate from 50,000 to 75,000 acres of land. These 
lands can be secured under the arid land act (see article on 
"Lands'") at fifty cent's per acre. 

The United States Government has announced its inten- 
tion of constructing an immense dam above Alcova. turning 
the Grand Canon of the Platte into a storage reservoir and af- 
fording water for reclamation of arid lands. 

The United States land ofifice for this county is located 
at Douglas. 



Sheridan County. 



Sheridan County was organized in 1888, and was named 
for General Phil Sheridan. It is situated in the central part 
of Northern Wyoming. It is ninety miles east and west, and 
thirty miles north and south, containing 2,700 square miles. 
This area is divided as follows : Three hundred and seventy- 
eight thousand acres mountainous, 350,000 acres irrigated or 
capable of irrigation, 1,000,000 acres grazing lands. There 
are now, approximately, 200,000 acres under cultivation. 

The assessed wealth of Sheridan County in 1903 was 
$3,232,615; rate of taxation, 18 mills; bonded indebtedness, 
$21,700. 

The principal products of the county are cattle, hay, oats, 
wheat, potatoes and coal. Farming, in connection with stock 
raising, is the chief occupation of the people, being by far the 
best paying business. This county combines in an exceed- 
ingly favorable manner crop raising and stock raising. The 
range grasses here are considered by stockmen to be unexcelled. 
An evidence of this is in the fact that range beef from this 
county usually receives the highest price for that class of 



122 The State of Wyoming, 

beef in the Chicago market. Referring to the crops, they also 
receive the highest awards, both for quality and quantity. 

The climate here is good. The chinook or warm winds 
from the Pacific Ocean keep the range open during the winter. 

The annual output of coal is 500,000 tons, the greater part 
of which is shipped to the Black Hills and points in Nebraska. 
Of wheat, 200,000 bushels are raised each year, the acreage 
being on the increase, but by far the largest acreage in crops 
is given to the raising of hay, principally alfalfa. This is the 
case where the business is that of stock raising. It is notable, 
however, that as farmers come into this country from Eastern 
States the farm is made to produce greater profit in the rais- 
ing of grain, potatoes and small fruit. This county secured at 
the World's Fair in Chicago a medal for the best spring wheat 
raised in 1893. 

The mountainous part of Sheridan County shows pros- 
pects rich in copper, and good samples of gold, silver, nickel 
and other minerals are found. This part of the county con- 
tains a large number of natural basins for the storage of 
water, which insures a vast development at no distant time 
in the production of crops requiring late irrigation. With 
abundance of water, the prospects in the mountains being 
developed into mines, the whole country being underlaid 
with coal, Sheridan County combines the resources essential 
as a foundation upon which to make a rapid and permanent 
development on a sound basis. 

One of the pleasing features is the excellent trout fishing 
to be found in all of the twenty-two streams flowing from 
the Big Horn Mountains. These streams were found in early 
days to be the natural home of the Rocky Mountain trout 
Of late years most of the streams have been stocked with 
the Eastern brook trout. The Big Horn Mountains afford 
the finest places for summer camping. Summer resorts have 
been erected at some of the lakes in the mountains where the 
fishing is the best, and here one can walk over great drifts 
of snow which never entirely disappear. 

The Burlington and Missouri railroad has a line travers- 
ing the entire length of the county, and has projected lines 
in other directions. There are ten churches, numerous excellent 
schools, flouring mills, brick yards, a brewery and a number of 
small manufacturing concerns. 

The Town of Sheridan is the county seat of this county, 
charmingly located at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains. 
It has a population of four thousand, and has every improve- 



Sweetwater County. 123 

ment necessary for the enjoyment of a thoroughly up-to-date 
city and has the rural mail delivery system. There are eight 
churches, lodges of all fraternities and a club. Within three 
miles of the city is situated Fort McKenzie, garrisoned by 
United States troops. About twelve miles north of the city 
is the south boundary line of the Crow Indian Reservation, 
which Indians come to Sheridan in large numbers to trade. 
At Sheridan, also, is located a State Hospital. 

This county is one of the best agriculturally developed 
counties in the State, and is a splendid example of what will 
shortly be done in this line in other counties. 

The United States land office for this countv is located 
at Buffalo. 



Sweetwater County. 



This was originally called Carter County, after a pioneer, 
Judge Carter, when a part of Dakota, but upon the organiza- 
tion of the Territory of Wyoming, in 1869, the name was 
changed to Sweetwater, after the Sweetwater River, which 
was so named by General Ashley in 1823. 

The chief industries are coal mining and stock raising. 

In the year 1903 the total assessed value of property in 
the county was $3,869,769, divided as follows : Railroad 
property, $1,409,906; lands and improvements, $1,363,881; 
cattle, $21,318; horses, $34,216; sheep, $543,173. The total 
bonded indebtedness is $76,700: the rate of taxation, 20 1-3 
mills. 

Green River, the county seat of Sweetwater County, has 
a population of about 1,200, and is essentially a railroad town, 
being a division point on the Union Pacific. Extensive repair 
shops are operated here by the railroad company. The sur- 
rounding country is devoted largely to the grazing of sheep 
and other live stock. A system of waterworks has been con- 
structed at a cost of nearly half a million dollars, for the pur- 
pose of pumping water from Green River to Rock Springs, 
a distance of eighteen miles, where extensive coal mining 
operations are carried on by the Union Pacific. Large quan- 
tities of ice are annually stored at Green River, and during 
the summer season between four and five hundred thousand 
railroad ties and mine props are floated down the river and 



124 The State of Wyoming. 

distributed at this point. A saw mill is maintained for the 
manufacture of rough lumber. 

The most promising industry in Green River, at the pres- 
ent time, is the production of sal soda, which is likely to as- 
sume vast proportions in a short time. Several wells have 
been sunk on the bottoms of Green River, that yield an in- 
exhaustible supply of water containing an average of twenty- 
five per cent, of soda crystals, or, in other words, twenty-five 
pounds of sal soda to every one hundred pounds of water. 
The development of this industry at first was very much 
retarded by the failure to secure freight rates that would en- 
able the chemical company to place their product on the 
market. A few months ago rates were obtained that enables 
this product to compete at Missouri River points and on the 
Pacific coast. The result was that in September last the com- 
pany shipped 150 tons of sal soda, which had a market value 
at Omaha of $24 per ton. Wyoming sal soda is superior to 
that manufactured from salt, and has been given the prefer- 
ence wherever installed. 

Rock Springs. — Eighteen miles distant on the line of the 
Union Pacific is located the town of Rock Springs. Here are 
operated the largest coal mines in the State. It has a popula- 
tion of 5,000, composed very largely of miners, and is one of 
the most active business points in Wyoming. It is well built, 
having fine business blocks, a water system, electric light 
plant and a magnificent $25,000 city hall. At this point is 
located the Wyoming General Hospital, maintained by the 
State. 

Industries. — The county is well suited to sheep raising, 
and many citizens are so engaged. The broken and diversified 
character of the country, covered as it is with white sage and 
nutritious grasses, furnishes just the conditions conducive to 
the successful management of that class of live stock, 450,000 
head being run upon the plains. 

The entire county is underlaid with veins of coal, which, 
however, have been more extensively developed at Rock 
Springs than elsewhere, and the term Rock Springs coal is 
synonymous throughout the West with coal of exceptional 
quality. The output is 2,000,000 tons per annum. The Union 
Pacific Coal Company is the largest operator, although there 
are others located at or near Rock Springs. This company 
owns five mines, the Central Coal and Coke Company two, 
and the others are the property of individuals. In addition 
to obtaining a full supply of fuel for the Union Pacific rail- 
road, the first named company sells thousands of car loads 
throughout W^yoming and adjacent States. 



I'iNTA County. 125 

There are vast areas of undeveloped coal lands in the 
county, principally to the north of the railroad, much of which 
on being prospected shows excellent coal in veins from three 
to twelve feet thick. 

The United States land office for this county is located at 
Evanston, except for a few townships in the southeastern 
portion of the county, which are in the Chevenne land office 
district. 



Uinta County. 



Uinta County was organized in 1869, and was named for 
the Uintah Indians. It lies in the extreme western portion 
of the State and extends from the northern boundary of Utah 
to the southern boundary of the Yellowstone National Park. 
It covers over 15,000 square miles, and much of this vast area 
is unentered Government land. The Union Pacific railroad 
crosses the county in its southern portion, and the Oregon 
Short Line in the south central portion. The elevation ranges 
from 5,000 to 8,000 feet. 

Topography. — The county is characterized by a charming- 
alteration of wooded hill and arable valley, of rolling upland 
pasturage and well drained meadow. Some parts of the 
county are very mountainous, but broad extents of valleys 
and plateaus blend with the hills in charming and picturesque 
beauty. The mountains are cut by a number of swift rivers 
running through deep canons, and the valleys are threaded 
by the numerous forks and tributaries of these rivers. Fair 
lakes are embosomed in the hills and feed great rivers and 
streams. 

Streams. — The rivers of the county are the Bear, Green, 
Salt and Snake. The principal tributaries of Bear River are 
Black's Fork, Twin Creek and Smith's Fork. Those of the 
Green are Horse, Cottonwood, the three Piney Creeks, La 
Barge, Fontenelle and Henry's Fork Creeks. Those of the 
Snake are Buffalo Fork, Gros Ventre and Hoback's Rivers 
from the eastward, and John Day's and Salt Rivers from the 
south. 

Besides the lakes and rivers, there are about forty named 
creeks of considerable size traversing the surface of the 
county. 



126 The; State of Wyoming. 

Statistics. — Lands and improvements are assessed at 
$1,408,727; total assessed valuation of all property, $5,524,- 
344; rate of taxation, state and county, i8>4 mills; county 
debt, $99,500 (bonded) ; number of schools, 69; teachers, 81 ; 
districts, 21 ; school children between five and seventeen years, 
3,303; population, census of 1900, 12,223; present population, 
about 16,000. 

Principal Towns. — The county seat is Evanston ; popula- 
tion, 2,110. It is pleasantly situated in the Bear River Valley; 
has many natural advantages, and is one of the most prosper- 
ous and attractive towns in the State. It is the home of pros- 
perous merchants, cattlemen and sheepmen. The Union Pa- 
cific shops are located here, and there are two banks, three 
newspapers, five churches, commodious brick school house, 
large court house and jail, electric light plant, waterworks and 
three hotels. The State Insane Asylum is situated here and 
also the United States land office for Evanston district. Dia- 
mondville, Kemmerer, Cokeville and Cumberland are the 
principal towns on the Oregon Short Line, and are large coal 
producers. The coal of Uinta County is but slightly exposed, 
being largely covered by the tertiary ; and it is only where 
recent erosion has occurred that the coal outcrops. Owning to 
this fact, it may be years before the full extent of the coal lands 
of Uinta County is thoroughly known. The output is ex- 
tensively used by the smelters of Montana, the railroads of 
Utah, Idaho, Oregon, California and Nebraska, for which pur- 
poses it is admirably suited. 

Star Valley, a fine agricultural section, 125 miles distant 
from the county seat, is traversed by Salt River, Cottonwood 
Creek, mountain streams and many large canals and laterals. 
The population is about 2,300. The people, mostly Mormons, 
are thrifty and prosperous. They raise timothy and alfalfa, 
hay, oats, barley and winter wheat, large crops of potatoes 
and garden truck, and in agricultural wealth and splendid 
ranges for cattle, rival the people of the southern end of the 
county. 

There are many thousand acres of good agricultural land 
open for settlement under the homestead and desert entry 
laws of the United States. This land is admirably adapted 
for the cultivation of hay and small grain crops, and there is 
an abundance of water for irrigation purposes. Settlers would 
be welcomed, and there are good opportunities for those who 
have a little capital, as good land already brought under cul- 
tivation can be purchased for from four to ten dollars per 
acre. School, road and mail facilities are alreadv well estab- 




> 
I 

W 

§ 2 

■2 >> 

s ^ 



UixTA County. 127 

lished, and railroad communication is easy of access. Those 
desirous of making permanent and comfortable homes at little 
expense of means and labor would do well to visit this section 
and see for themselves the advantages which this beautiful 
and healthful locality affords. 

This county has developed wonderful oil fields. See 
article on Oil. 

The famous Jackson Hole and Jackson Lake lie in the 
northern part of the county, south of the Yellowstone National 
Park. Jackson's Hole was named in 1828 after David E. Jack- 
son, a wealthy partner of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. 
Jackson Hole is an extensive valley of fertile land and some 
good farms, and is traversed by Snake River and num- 
erous creeks. Prior to 187 1 Jackson Hole was practically un- 
known to others than the hardy trapper and prospector, and it 
was not then supposed that this great valley would one day 
become an important part of the body politic of the State of 
Wyoming, and that magnificent farms and homes would cover 
its fertile expanse, or the range of the wild game, in its last 
retreat before the perpetual blow of advance civilization. In 
1884 the first settlement was made on the Little Gros \^entre 
River. From this nucleus has sprung a hardy pioneer opposi- 
tion to the inclemencies and vicissitudes of the seasons, and to- 
day ranching and stock raising are carried on with success and 
thousands of acres have been improved into great bodies of the 
finest hay and farming lands in the State. 

The soil of Jackson Hole is a rich sandy loam, and while 
the principal crops produced are native hay and tame grasses, 
vegetables and small fruits mature and are raised in sufficient 
quantities to supply all local demand. All kinds of cereals will 
mature, and while the approximate elevation of the valley is 
6,200 feet above sea level, the surrounding mountains protect 
it from the killing winds and insure its becoming one of the 
future agricultural districts of the State. 

The stock interests consist entirely of cattle and horses. 
Owing to the location and conditions surrounding it, the val- 
ley is not a good place for sheep. Stock is generally fed and 
sheltered during the more inclement part of the winter. Hav 
in great quantities is raised and is worth from $2.50 to $3.50 
per ton. A ton of hay will feed each head of grown stock. 
Ranchmen following the cattle business have without excep- 
tion become well-to-do, building large irrigation canals, com- 
fortable residences and large barns for the shelter of their 
stock. Improvement is everywhere evident, and for a new 
community Jackson Hole has as many valuable ranch improve- 
ments as anv other new community in the State. 



128 The State of Wyoming. 

Prospects have been found that indicate that there is 
mineral in the vicinity of this valley. Since i860 the bars on 
the Snake River have been worked for placer gold, and good 
w^ages can be and are now obtained by sluicing or rocking 
the gravel. Where the gold comes from has never been de- 
termined ; that it is there is beyond question. Coal beds of 
vast dimensions and superior quality lie on the east side of 
the Gros Ventre River. 

Jackson Hole, being situated as it is in the heart of the 
Rocky Mountains, immediately south of the Yellowstone Na- 
tional Park, is the most important big game preserve in the 
United States. All kinds of fur bearing animals are to be 
found, while bear, mountain lions, moose, elk, deer, antelope 
and mountain sheep are always in evidence. Hunters from all 
over the world have had a try and can testify as to the sport 
to be had in this locality. Grouse, geese and ducks are found 
everywhere, and the streams that traverse the valley in every 
direction abound with fish. The Jackson Valley Guide Associa- 
tion, comprising a membership of competent resident guides, 
through their ol^cers at Jackson, Wyoming, will furnish all 
necessary information and prices of guides and approximate 
expenses to those seeking information. No place in Wyo- 
ming, outside of the National Park, opens to the view a more 
varied and comprehensive study of nature's handiwork than 
this locality, a level fertile valley, covered with the improved 
ranches of the settler, traversed by numerous streams of purest 
crystal water, with numerous lakes, while above and beyond 
rise great magnificent snow-capped mountains, and, ever in 
view, the Grand Tetons protrude themselves against the west- 
ern sky. Their scraggy granite peaks far above the surround- 
ing ranges stand sentinel-like over the shadows of the silent 
valley below, once seen never to be forgotten. 

Soil. — The soil is of three distinct classes : First, the bot- 
tom or meadow lands, usually possessing a rich, black and 
somewhat heavy soil, lying next to the streams, always easily 
irrigated, and on that account generally the most desired by 
settlers ; second, the bench lands, rising terrace-like toward 
the neighboring hills, possessing as a soil a warm sandy loam, 
always easily drained, usually presenting no great obstacle to 
irrigation, and now being generally recognized as the soil 
capable of the widest range of production ; third, the high blufif 
lands, watered by numerous streams, usually too sandy for 
cultivation, but naturally affording the most ample and nutri- 
tious pastvirage for horses, cattle and sheep. 



Westox County. 129 

Climate. — The winters are not severe, and the summers 
are always temperate. Clear, frosty days, with an occasional 
exceptionally cold night ; usually severe weather in March ; 
some very warm days in summer, but always cool and reviv- 
ing breezes in the night. The sunshine of this county, as of 
the State in general, is re'markable not only for its brilliancy, 
but for its persistency, cloudy daA'S being in this section the 
exception. 

Agriculture. — The production of timothy and wild hay, 
alfalfa, oats, potatoes, winter wheat, and in some sections bar- 
ley, occupy the whole attention of Uinta County farmers. Pos- 
sessing a soil singularly fertile and lasting, this county offers 
exceptional inducements to the agriculturist, with the assur- 
ance that the waters will never fail, that his crops will never 
be blighted by drought, and abundant harvest will surely fol- 
low seed time. 

Timber. — Throughout the county timl^er is abundant on 
the hill sides for lumber, fuel and mining purposes. Yellow 
and white pine, some cedar and spruce, cottonwood and aspen, 
are the principal growths. Saw mills are in operation in many 
portions of the county, and much lumber is produced. 

The United States land office for this county is at Ev- 
anston. 



Weston County. 



Weston County was organized in 1890, and was named 
after a gentleman of that name, who was interested in build- 
ing the Burlington railroad through that section of the State. 
It is 100 miles long by forty-eight miles wide, comprising 
3,133,440 acres, and has a population of 3,203. The total as- 
sessed valuation of all kinds of property in 1903 was $1,800,778, 
divided as follows : Farm lands and improvements, $278,704 ; 
town lots and improvements, $111,295; cattle, $556,078; 
horses, $89,110; sheep, $303,308. County indebtedness, $33,- 
820: rate of taxation, 21 2-3 mills. 

Weston County, although enjoying an altitude between 
4,000 and 5,000 feet above the sea level and possessing good 
soils, is not so well watered as other sections of the State, 
owing to the absence of large streams having their sources 
in the lofty mountains of the snowy ranges. The rainfall, 
however, is considerably greater than at a higher altitude, 
averaging from eighteen to twenty inches per annum. The 



130 The State of Wyoming. 

dark loamy soils, in part of the county, are quite productive 
without irrigation, and the reddish gypsum soils found at the 
base of table lands retain the moisture and are very fertile. 
Precipitation is mainly in the spring and early summer, and 
crops make rapid progress from germination to maturity. 
Wild fruits of the smaller varieties, such as plums, goose- 
berries, currants and strawberries, grow plentifully. All the 
farm products known in the northern latitudes are produced 
in this region, even Indian corn, and the yield is most excel- 
lent. Wheat of the spring varieties yields over fifty bushels, 
rye over forty, oats seventy to even one hundred bushels, and 
corn, of the flint, dent and squaw varieties, also makes good 
returns. Timothy, alfalfa, red clover and other tame grasses 
are cultivated with success, as are also potatoes, rutabagas, 
turnips, carrots and sugar beets, the last named producing as 
high as six tons per acre, with twenty per cent, of sugar, as 
shown by analysis. Stock growing makes an excellent ac- 
companiment of farming throughout this region. Shorthorn, 
Hereford, Sussex and West Highlands cattle find favor for 
the range. Horses also receive much attention and are in- 
creasing in value. There is good pine timber in the Black 
Hills, and numerous saw mills supply the wants of the set- 
tler. Gypsum is found in inexhaustible quantities, and su- 
perior quality of building stone, granite and lime. Salt pro- 
ducing springs have been discovered near Jenney's Stockade, 
and an oil district in the same locality covers over 400 square 
miles. (See article on Oil.) Weston County is famous for its 
coal, which finds a ready market in the adjoining States of 
South Dakota and Nebraska and along the line of the Bur- 
lington railroad, which traverses the entire length of the 
county, east and west. 

Newcastle, the county seat, is a thriving town. The first 
building was erected in September, 1889, the Burlington rail- 
road having reached that point in the previous month. After 
the discovery of coal the population grew very rapidh^ and 
in 1900 was 756. In 1890 extensive waterworks were con- 
structed at a cost of over $100,000 by the Cambria Mining 
Company, which furnishes an abundant supply of water for 
Newcastle, Cambria and the great coal mines. A $6,000 town 
hall and $12,000 school building have been erected. Within 
the immediate vicinity are several oil wells, the first discovery 
being made fifteen years ago. All lines of business are well 
represented and prosperous. 

Cambria is a coal mining town, the population being 
actively engaged in that industry. The quality of coal mined 
is excellent, and is described elsewhere in this publication. 



Public Buildings. 131 

^lodern equipment and methods are the characteristics of the 
mining plant. The coal here is of a coking quality, and coke 
ovens are in operation. The population of the Cambria district 
is 962. 

The United States land office for this county is located 
at Sundance. 



Public Buildings. 



The Capitol Building at Cheyenne is classical in style and 
bears a resemblance to the Capitol at Washington. 

The ^Vyoming University, located at Laramie, is described 
under the article on Education. 

The State maintains Fish Hatcheries at Laraniie, Saratoga, 
Sundance, Sheridan and Lander, \\hich hatcheries each year 
stock the mountain streams with trout of various varieties. 

The Penitentiary Building is located at Rawlins. 

The State Deaf, Dumb and Blind Asylum is located at 
Cheyenne, but is not in use on account of the small number of 
such unfortunates. 

The Insane Asylum is located at Evanston. 

Two General Hospitals are maintained by the State, one 
at Rock Springs for the southern section of the State, and one 
at Sheridan for the northern section of the State. 

The Soldiers' and Sailors" Home is located at Buffalo, 
where the State owns 1,270 acres of rich agricultural land and 
has buildings worth $100,000. 

Wyoming also possesses a Poor Farm, situated at Lander, 
but owing to the fact that the State has no poor, the farm has 
been rented and the proceeds applied to its improvement, so 
far as necessary, and the remainder allowed to accumulate as 
a fund for the future, should it ever be needed. 



Banks and Interest. 



In all the larger towns are located national banks, while 
in the smaller towns are found banks incorporated under State 
law. The legal rate of interest is eight per cent., but any rate 
agreed upon, not exceeding twelve per cent., is valid. The 
usual bank rate on time deposits is four per cent. ; the bank loan 
rate is from ten to twelve per cent. 



132 The State oe Wyoming. 

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Taxes and Public Indebtedness. 133 



Taxes and Public Indebtedness. 



The wise restrictions in the State Constitution are a sure 
guarantee that in Wyoming taxation will never be excessive, 
or the public debt burdensome. It is there provided that for 
State revenue there shall not be levied to exceed four mills on 
the dollar of the assessed value of property for all State pur- 
poses, except for the payment of the public debt, with interest, 
and the support of State charitable and educational institu- 
tions, and not to exceed twelve mills on the dollar for all 
county purposes, excepting the county debt. Special school 
taxes may be authorized by the qualified voters of the several 
districts. 

The State's original bonded indebtedness was $320,000. 
This is being reduced as rapidly as possible under the con- 
ditions of the bonds, $60,000 having been paid ofif during the 
last three years, leaving now a debt of only $260,000. Each 
county in the State is also paying off its bonded indebtedness. 

Incorporated cities and towns are limited to eight mills 
on the dollar, excepting for the payment of their public debt. 
The State debt is limited to one per cent, of the assessed val- 
uation, while two per cent, is the limit on counties, cities and 
towns. 

Statement Showing the Valuation of the Several Counties of 
the State for the Year 1903 — One-fourth Actual Value. 

Albany County $ 4,248,938.64 

Big Horn 3,005,256.91 

Carbon 5.534,731-53 

Converse 2,642,427.76 

Crook 2,171,510.48 

Fremont 1,946,348.00 

Johnson i ,930,85 1 .00 

Laramie 6,569,077.81 

Natrona 2,192,582.82 

Sheridan 3,232,615.90 

Sweetwater 3,869,769.52 

Uinta 5,524,344.09 

Weston 1,800,778.70 

Total $44,669,233.16 



134 



The State of Wyoming. 



Total Property Assessed in 1903 at One-fourth Actual Value. 

Railroad and car companies $ 7,718,380.79 

Telegraph and telephone lines 290,987.85 

Lands and improvements (7.135,977.17 acres) .... 10,847,600.69 

Town lots and improvements 6,611,359.50 

Horses (157,809) 1,919,995.00 

Cattle ( 5 1 2,659) 6,850,877.00 

Mules and asses (901) 30,517.00 

Sheep and goats (2,796,226) 5,322,075.05 



Swine (3.930 

Dogs (no) 

Clocks, watches, jewelry, gold and silver plate.. 

Musical instruments 

Capital employed in manufactures and m 

chandise , 

Carriages and wagons 

Moneys and credits, after deducting debts. . . . , 

Stocks in corporations 

Farming utensils and tools 

Private libraries 

Household furniture ($100 exempt) 



18,833.50 

1,560.00 

24,046.00 

93,070.00 

2,436,915.75 
444,040.03 
812,861.00 

413,349-00 

230,444.00 

25,853.00 

131,165.00 

Other property not enumerated 445,303.00 



Total $44,669,233.16 



County and School District Bonded Indebtedness. 


COUNTY. 


Tax 
Levy 

Mills 


City Bonds 


County 
Bonds 

.$ 127,000.00 
34,000.00 
129,200.00 
36,900.00 


School 
District 
Bonds 


Albany 

Big Horn 

Carbon 

Converse 


20. 

19.375 

17.375 

18. 


Laramie ' $ 80,400.00 

Cody : 16,000.00 

Rawlins 1 60,000.00 

Douglas ! 17,000.00 

Lusk 1 4,500.00 

Sundance . . . . 14,72.5.00 


$23,000.00 
11,870.00 
32,200.00 
12.429.50 


Crook 

Fremont 


22.375 
23 375 


51.500.00 
32.200.00 
50,800.00 
400,000.00 
15,900.00 
21,700.00 
76,700.00 
99,500.00 
33,820.00 

$1,109,220.00 


i,600.00 
1'? 000 00 


Johnson 

Larainie. 

Natrona . : 

Sheridan 

Sweetwater 

Uinta 

Weston. 


23.750 

21.250 

20.375 

18. 

20.375 

18.5 

21.625 


Buffalo 

Cheyenne 

SheHdan. '. ". '. '. '. 
Rock Springs . . . 

Newcastle 


45,400.00 
^0,500.00 
37,500.00 
lOS.'W.OO 
20,000.00 
26,000 00 
12,000.00 


11,700.00 
70,050.00 

e.iwo.oo 

18,110.00 
4.700.00 
41,400.00 
10,300.00 


Totals 






.$795.02.5.00 


$225,6.59.. 50 









Total of all bonds. . 
Decrease since 1901 . 



,129 ,904.. 50 
270,818.50 



Railroads axd Stage Routes. 135 



Railroads and Stage Routes. 



Tourists passing- through Wyoming on the transconti- 
nental railroads see little of the agricultural portion of the 
State, as the railroads for the most part run on the divides 
between water courses, while the farming settlements and 
irrigated lands, as in all semi-arid regions, are in the valleys 
of the rivers and creeks. The Union Pacific runs across the 
southern portion of the State for 468.98 miles, connecting 
at Granger with the Oregon Short Line for Oregon and 
the Northern Pacific country. The Colorado and Southern 
has a line running from Cheyenne to Orin Junction, 153.68 
miles, connecting with the Chicago and Northwestern branch 
running from Crawford to Casper, with a trackage of 130.43 
miles in Wyoming. The Burlington Route has four branch 
lines entering the State — twenty-nine miles of the Cheyenne 
and Holdredge line ; 236.59 miles of the main line from Lin- 
coln, Neb., to Billings, Mont., running through Newcastle and 
Sheridan, connecting at Toluca, Mont., with the branch line 
to Cody, Wyo., a distance of 129 miles (44.61 in Wyoming), 
and by which all points in the Big Horn Basin may be 
reached; and 41.32 miles of the line from Alliance up the 
Platte River to Guernsey, Wyo. The Colorado and Wyoming 
ore road, 14.55 miles long, connects the Colorado Southern and 
Burlington roads with the iron mines at Sunrise. 

There is a coal road, 6.6 miles of which is in Wyoming, 
from Belle Fourcheto Aladdin, and another nineteen miles 
long from Diamondville to Spring Valley. 

Stage lines cover the State thoroughly. Daily stages 
running from Laramie to North Park, Colorado, carry mail 
and passengers to points on the Big Laramie River. To reach 
the Encampment country the best route is from Walcott sta- 
tion, on the Union Pacific railroad, where all trains stop reg- 
ularly. From this point stages run to Encampment via Sar- 
atoga, leaving Walcott regularly at seven o'clock in the 
morning daily. Extra stages in afternoon. These stages are four 
and six-horse Concord coaches, in charge of experienced drivers, 
and run through on schedule time. The distance is twenty- 
three miles to Saratoga and forty-three to Encampment from 
Walcott. 

From Encampment daily stages leave for Battle, twelve 
miles; Rambler, fourteen miles, and Dillon, nineteen miles; 



136 The State of Wyoming. 

and connections are made for camps south or near the State 
line and Pearl, Colorado, about thirty miles. 

Livery teams and saddle horses may be had here for 
different parts of the district not reached by stage. A line 
runs daily from Laramie, the county seat of Albany County, 
to Holmes, a distance of forty-five miles, via Centennial. 

For Dillon and Rudefeha, where the Ferris-Haggarty 
mine is located, connections by team may also be made from Raw- 
lins, the county seat of Carbon County, on the Union Pacific 
railroad, a distance of fifty-two miles, over a good road re- 
cently opened up for travel. 

From Saratoga the different points in the Elk Mountain 
vicinity may be reached by team, and also a number of the 
camps on Spring Creek and Jack Creek. 

Freight is brought in mainly over the Walcott-Saratoga- 
Encampment road and distril)uted to the various camps 
throughout the district. 

A daily stage and a mail route runs from Rawlins, on the 
Union Pacific railroad, to Lander, 135 miles, with connec- 
tions at Meyersville, ninety miles out of Rawlins, for Lewis- 
ton, Atlantic and South Pass City. 

Lander, the county seat of Fremont County, may also be 
reached by team, and stage connections there made for Ther- 
mopolis and Cody, on the B. & M. railroad, and to Casper, 150 
miles, on the Chicago and Northwestern railroad. 

The best method of reaching the South Pass district for 
a short stay is by team from Rock Springs, as the eighty miles 
to South Pass may be covered in two days without material 
inconvenience, and good accommodations had at Washing- 
ton's ranch, a half-way station. 

South Pass has a good hotel, and this may readily be 
made headquarters while the district is being investigated. 

The most direct way into the Sunlight country is from 
Cody, by way of Hart Mountain, Pat O'Hara Creek, Dead 
Indian Hill and Sunlight Creek, the road having been built 
up the latter creek as far as the mouth of Galena Creek. From 
this road trails for pack animals lead up to Sulphur Creek, up 
Galena Creek, and thence over and around the mountain to 
the mines in Hughes Basin and Silver Tip Basin, on the west 
side of Stinking Water Peak. 

The new road just constructed by the United States Gov- 
ernment from Cody to the National Park, and which, by the 
way, is one of the finest and most picturesque roads in the 
West, runs within twenty miles of Silver Tip Basin, with a 
good pack trail from the mouth of Jones Creek to the Basin. 
When a wagon road is built to the west side of this region. 



Hunting and Fishing. 137 

this will certainly be the route selected, being the most ac- 
cessible and with a practicable grade. 

Other lines leave Rawlins for Dixon and Baggs and the 
Snake River, Colorado, country ; from Casper to Central Wyo- 
ming; Clearmont to Buffalo; Moorcroft to Sundance, con- 
necting with mail routes ; from Sheridan to interior points in 
Sheridan and Johnson Counties; from Garland to Byron, Cow- 
ley and Lovell ; from Garland to Basin, from thence to interior 
towns: from Cody to Meeteetse and Thermopolis; branches 
from Meeteetse to interior postoffices ; Basin to Thermopolis, 
via Welling and Worland. Stage lines run from Opal to Big 
Piney, connecting with interior points. 



Hunting and Fishing. 



For many years game was killed for food purposes at all 
seasons and in unlimited quantity, but since 1895 stringent 
laws for the protection of fish and game have been enforced, 
and, in consequence, W^yoming now stands pre-eminent .as a 
hunting and fishing ground. 

Game fish may be caught, by means of rod, line and hook, 
in the Big Horn and North Platte Rivers and their tributaries 
during May, June, July, August and September; and from 
the Snake, Green and other Western streams during June, July, 
August and September ; but no more than twenty pounds of 
game fish may be in the possession of any one person or party 
at any time. No trout or black bass less than six inches in 
length can be legally caught. No game fish can be offered for 
sale or shipped within or without the State. The State Fish 
Commissioner may permit seining in lakes which have been 
stocked with lake trout, whitefish or carp. 

A bona fide citizen of the State of Wyoming may hunt, 
during the open season, within the limits of the county in 
which he is an actual resident without the payment of a gun 
license. Upon the payment of one dollar to any Justice of the 
Peace, he is entitled to a gun license, which will permit him 
to hunt in any county in the State. It is not necessary to have 
a gun license to hunt game birds. Non-resident hunters must 
secure a license at a cost of fifty dollars, and must be accom- 
panied by a registered guide. 



138 The State of Wyoming. 

During the open season licensed parties may kill two elk, 
two deer, two antelope, one mountain sheep and one mountain 
goat, between September 15th and November 15th. The barter 
or sale of any part of the animals above mentioned, or the pos- 
session of more than the specified number, is prohibited, under 
penalty of heavy fine or imprisonment. License must be car- 
ried and shown upon request. Game killed by non-resident 
licensed hunters may be shipped from the State, upon a cer- 
tificate from a Justice of the Peace stating that such animals 
were killed according to law. It is unlawful to sell any part 
of any wild animal, hides, horns or tusks, or to use dogs for 
the purpose of coursing or running the animals above men- 
tioned. Taxidermists cannot buy hides, horns or any part of 
game animals or birds, but mounted birds or stuflfed heads and 
horns of animals lawfully killed may be shipped within or 
Avithout the State. 

Trout fishing may now be enjoyed in every part of the 
State. Tourists coming ^^'est through Cheyenne and Denver 
will find splendid trout fishing on the Big or Little Laramie 
Rivers, leaving the railroad at Laramie City. A little farther 
Avest the fisherman can leave the Union Pacific train at Walcott 
and drive twenty-three miles to Saratoga, where he may fish 
in the North Platte River, running through the town, go up 
stream to some of the ranches which furnish fishermen with 
accommodations, or fish down stream, as he mav prefer. Brook 
trout weighing five pounds and rainbow trout weighing ten 
pounds are caught in the Platte near Saratoga. Many hun- 
dreds of rainbow trout weighing from two to eight pounds 
have been caught within the city limits. 

Jackson's Hole is the greatest big game hunting ground 
left in the world. Five thousand elk were seen there in one 
day last fall. Lying as it does south of the Yellowstone Park, 
it has been a safe retreat for large game for a number of years, 
and has gradually filled up with the game driven from other 
States. Sportsmen may leave the Union Pacific at any point 
in the western part of the State and outfit for the Jackson's 
Hole country. Parties can secure outfits at Cody and find 
competent guides who will take them through the beautiful 
scenery of the National Park, Yellowstone Forest Reserve . 
and Jackson's Hole. 

Prairie chickens may be shot from September ist to De- 
cember 1st of each year; sage chickens and grouse, from July 
15th to October 15th: snipe or other wader or plover, duck, 
brant and geese may be shot from September ist to May ist. 

The following is as complete a list of guides as is at pres- 
ent obtainable. Write them for specific information : 




^ l'¥.A 




State Fair. , 139 

Hon. D. C. Nowlin, State Game Warden, Lander, Wyo- 
ming. 

Of Jackson : G. JM. jNlatson, Harvey K. Glidden, S. E. 
Osborn, J. C. Anderson, Walter Nichols, U. G. Bird, J. B. Gray, 
J. P. Nelson, Frank L. Peterson. Thomas Winegarden, F. S. 
Woods, Frank Nickell, J. A. Adams, E. B. Ferrin, S. N. Leek, 
O. E. Williams, Stephen F. Adams, William T. Crawford, A. J. 
Curver, Charles Wilson, A. N. Davis, C. J. Wort, [ohn Chenev, 
Charles W. Hedrick, Clark Caswell, B. F. Blodgett, John 
Maynard, James S. Simpson, G. A. W'ilson, William Bierer. 
Of Wilson : J. Van Winkle, A. Ward, J. K. Stadler, George 
Goodrich, U. G. Foster, J. A. Corder, C. E. Hale, John Miller. 
Of Elk : Frank Lovell, C. L Sheffield. Of Alta : T. R. Wilson. 
Of Moran: Frank Lovell, G. H. Whiteman, Charles J. Allen, 
Caldez Allon, A. T. Milligan, Noble Gregory, W. E. Smith. 
Of Zenith : James Crane, Fred Crane, Frank P. Price, Richard 
Mayers, Lewis Price. Of Grovont : Albert Nelson, Frank 
Sebastian, James S. Simpson, T. L. Hanshew, W. M. Biber, 
Hud Pormon, John Pormon, William Binkley, William Mer- 
ritt, James L May, H. H. Meanor. Of Mammoth Springs: 
Albert Collins. Of Bedford: Stephen Turner. Of Merna: 
Rudolph Rosecrans. Of Kemmerer : W. J. Madson. Of 
Cheney : Elias Wilson, John Wilson, S. Cheney, G. A. Wilson. 
Of Evanston : E. H. Horrocks. Of Fontenelle : A. P. Som- 
mers. Of Valley: B. F. Thompson, James L. McLaughlin, 
Henrv Smith, N. E. Brown, Jennie L. McLaughlin. Of Isha- 
wood': S. W. Aldrich, W. H. Jordan, W. A. Kepford, G. E. 
Russell. Of Cody: W. P. Webster, George Sheets, S. H. 
Berry. Of Clark's Fork : John T. Gilbert. Of Crandall : San- 
ford Keple. Of Alexander: ~E. E. Hill, Frank Alexander, W. 
J. Alexander, Albert Hill. Of Cora: P. J. Buych, Charles 
Nettleton, L N. Lozier, N. H. Groo, William J. Glen, P. V. 
Sommers. Of Kendall: M. J. Collins. Of Fort Washakie: 
W. C. Jackson. Of Wells: William Wells, Thomas Pixley, 
George Pixley. Of Rock Springs: J. M. Hodge. Of Painter: 
Samuel Thompson, Arthur Whitney. Of Ten Sleep : H. E. 
Miller. Of Byron : Dee Davis. 



State Fair. 



The Wyoming Industrial Association is a volunteer organ- 
ization, composed of five hundred delegates appointed by the As- 
sociation President from all walks of life, which, meeting each 



I40 The State of Wyoming. 

year in a different city, holds a three days' convention. At this 
convention papers are read and discussions had upon all topics of 
industrial interest, looking to the stimulation of practical and 
scientific promotion of the State's development. 

At the last convention, held at Sheridan, through the kind- 
ness of the railroad companies giving- free transportation for ex- 
hibits, a fair was held at which a building 50x125 feet was com- 
pletely filled with agricultural and mineral exhibits. A live stock 
exhibit was also made. 

This product exhibit has now become a permanent feature 
with the association, and as the next place of meeting, September 
20, 21 and 22, is at Casper, in the central part of the State, a 
splendid fair is assured. 

The following pictures were taken of four of the fourteen 
sections of the exhibit hall, at the last convention, showing fruits, 
vegetables, grains and grasses : 



Wyoming Wants. 



In reading the history of this Northwest, viz. : De la Veren- 
drye's Expedition in 1742; Lewis and Clark Expedition, under 
authority of Congress, in 1804; Washington Irving's Astoria, 
181 1 ; Captain Bonneville's Expedition, 1832, and Coutant's His- 
tory of Wyoming — in all of which the territory embraced within 
the limits of Wyoming was the center of the scene of action — one 
is astonished at the terrible hardships, privations and perils under- 
gone by brave men for the comparatively little wealth to be 
realized from peltries. Today, surrounded by the best civilization 
and without hardship, privation or peril, an unlimited and per- 
manent wealth awaits the investor and worker in the following 
needs of Wyoming : 

The Burlington railroad to extend from Guernsey west 
across the center of the State. 

A north and south railway through the center of the State. 

A number of short railway spurs or feeders to the present 
railway lines, for the development of mineral, oil and agricultural 
resources — which must otherwise remain undeveloped or un- 
profitable. 

With the accomplishment of the above, the following wants 
would be speedily fulfilled : 



Wyoming Wants. 



141 



Iron foundries and rolling mills. There are mountains of 
the finest iron ore in the world. 

More coal mines. Wyoming is all underlaid with coal. 

More capital invested in irrigation systems — ditches and 
reservoirs. 

More practical irrigators. 

More farmers who are not afraid to work. 

More practical prospectors. 

More practical mining men as investors, operators and 
workers. 

More practical oil investors and well drillers. 

Beet sugar factories. 

Money to loan at six and eight per cent, on A No i securities. 

A local trust company. 

A local fire and life insurance company. 

Every city in the State needs a truck garden. There are a 
hundred opportunities in this line to make a competency. 

Five hundred chicken ranches. Eggs sell for 25 to 50 cents 
per dozen. Chickens sell for 50 to 80 cents each. 

Woolen mills — great opportunity. 

Flour mills. 

Glass factory. 

All "knockers" rounded up and colonized on a Pacific island. 

Wyoming only needs thorough investigation hy capital and 
workers to hecome the home of prosperity. 




142 



The State of Wyoming. 



List of Postoflfices in Wyoming. 





Albany County. 




Binford 


Holmes 


Mandel 


Sherman 


Bosler 


Jelm 


Marshall 


Sibylee 


Buford 


Laramie 


Moore 


Springhill 


Centennial 


( County Seat) 


Owen 


Tie Siding 


Dover 


Little Medicine 


Rockcreek 


Toltec 


Fishcreek 


Lookout 


Rock River 


Woods 


Garrett 


McGill 








Big Horn County. 




Basin 


Embar 


Jordan 


Painter 


(County Seat) 


Fenton 


Kane 


Redbank 


Bigtrails 


Fourbear 


Kirwin 


Rome 


Bonanza 


Frannie 


Lovell 


Shell 


Burlington 


Garland 


Marquette 


Sunshine 


Byron 


Germania 


Meeteetse 


Tensleep 


Clark 


Hyattville 


Middleton 


Vallev 


Cloverly 


llo 


No Wood 


Welling 


Coburn 


Irma 


Olwen 


Winchester 


Cody 


Ishawood 


Otto 


Worland 


Cowley 










Carbon County. 




Arlington 


Dixon 


Hanna 


Rockdale 


Baggs 


Downington 


Leo 


Rudefeha 


Battle 


Elk Mountain 


Medicine Bow 


Saratop^a 


Bennett 


Elwood 


Morfyan 


Shirley 


Carbon 


Encampment 


Rambler 


Victoria 


Como 


Ferris 


Rawlins 


Walcott 


Dana 


Fort Fred Steele 


(County Seat) 


Widdowfield 


Dillon 


French 


Riverside 






Converse County. 




Beaver 


Douglas 


Inez 


}ilanville 


Big Muddy 


(County Seat) 


Kirtlev 


North view 


Boxelder 


Glenrock 


Labonte 


Orin 


Careylmrst 


Hatcreek 


Lusk 


Ross 
Warren 




Crook 


County. 




Aladdin 


Eothen 


Inyankara 


Morse 


Alva 


Farrall 


Linden 


Sheldon 


Beulah 


Felix 


"Manhattan 


Sundance 


Carlile 


Gillette 


Mona 


(County Seat) 


Croton 


Hulett 


Moorcroft 






Fremont County. 




Arapahoe Agency 


Fayette 


Lost Cabin 


Pinedale 


Atlantic City 


Fort Washakie 


Lyons 


Rongis 


Bruce 


Hailey 


Milford 


Saint Stephens 


Burns 


Kendall 


Muskrat 


Shoshone Agency 


Circle 


Lander 


Myersville 


South l-ass City 


Cora 


(County Seat) 


Newfork 


Thermopolis 


Dallas 


Leckie 


Olson 


Union 


Deranch 


Lewiston 


Paciiic 


Wells 



Dubois 



List of Postoffices. 



143 



Johnson County. 



Barnum 


Greub 


Kaycee 


Sussex 


Buffalo 


Griggs 


Kearney 


Trabing 


(County Seat) 


Hazelton 


-Mayoworth 






Laramie County. 




Archer 


Fort Russell 


Iron ^lountain 


Pinebluffs 


Areola 


Foxton 


Islay 


Pratt 


Athol 


Frederick 


Junction 


Raw Hide Buttes 


Banks 


Glendo 


Lagrange 


Salem 


Bordeaux 


Goldsmith 


Lakeview 


South Bend 


Cheyenne 


Granite Canyon 


Little Bear 


Sunrise 


(County Seat) 


Grant 


Little Horsecreek 


Torrington 


Chugwater 


Grayrocks 


Macfarlane 


Trelona 


Davisranch 


(juernsev 


Meadow 


Underwood 


Diamond 


Hartville 


Meriden 


Uva 


Eghert 


Hecla 


Patrick 


Wheatland 


Fort Laramie 


Hillsdale 


PllillilX 


W'yncote 




Natrona County. 




Alcova 


Ervay 


Independence 


Split rock 


Casper 


Freeland 


Oilcity 


Wolton 


(County Seat) 


Houck 








Sheridan County. 




Arvada 


Dietz 


Ranchester 


Story 


Banner 


Hamilton 


Sheridan 


Ulm 


Bighorn 


Monarch 


( Countv Seat) 


Verona 


Clearmont 


Parkman 


Slack 


Wolf 


Dajlon 










Sweetwater County. 




Almond 


Granger 


Lucerne 


Sweetwater 


Bittercreelc 


Greenriver 


Maxon 


Wamsutter 


Burntfork 


( County Seat) 


Rock Springs 


Wilkins 


Creston 










Uinta 


County. 




Afton 


Daniel 


Grovont 


Oakley 


Almv 


Diamondville 


Halfway 


Opal 


Alta 


Elk 


Jackson 


Palisade 


Altamont 


Evanston 


Kemmerer 


Piedmont 


Auburn 


( County Seat) 


Knight 


Robertson 


Bedford 


Fairview 


Labarge 


Sage 


Bi.epiney 


Fontenelle 


Lonetree 


Smoot 


Bondurant 


Fort Bridger 


Lyman 


Springvalley 


Border 


Fossil 


Mason 


Stanley 


Carter 


Freedom 


Merna 


Thayne 


Chenev 


Frontier 


Midway 


Viola 


Cokeville 


Glencoe 


Moran 


Wilson 


Cumberland 


Grover 


Mountainview 


Zenith 




Weston County. 




Boyd 


Cambria 


Newcastle 


Horton 


Buckhorn 


Hampshire 


(County Seat) 


Upton 



National Park Reservation. 

Yellowstone Park 



144 



The State of Wyoming. 



Elevation of Cities and Mountains. 



CITY. ELEVATION IN FEET. 

Alcova 6,000 

Atlantic City 7,850 

Buffalo 4,600 

Basin 3,700 

Battle 9,866 

Cambria 5,ioo 

Casper 5,ioi 

Carbon 6,821 

Cheyenne 6,050 

Cheyenne (Capitol) 6,101 

Cody 4,900 

Corbett 4,659 

Douglas 4,816 

Embar 5,900 

Encampment 7,322 

Evanston 6,759 

Fort Laramie 4,270 

Fort Steele 6,505 

Fort Washakie 5,462 

Fort Yellowstone 6,370 

Four Bear 6,500 

Garland 4,183 

Glendo 4,716 

Glenrock 4,900 

Green River 6,077 



CITY. ELEVATION IN FEET. 

Hanna 6,788 

Hyattville 4,550 

Jackson Hole 6,820 

Jackson Lake 6,800 

Kirw^in 9,500 

Lander 5,372 

Laramie 7,153 

Lovell 3,700 

Lusk 5,007 

Medicine Bow 6,562 

Meeteetse 5,ooo 

Newcastle 4,319 

Otto 4,011 

Rambler 9,500 

Rawlins 6,744 

Rock Springs 6,260 

Rock Creek 6,704 

Sherman 8,247 

Sheridan j,738 

Saratoga 7,000 

Sundance 4,75o 

Thermopolis 4,350 

Ten Sleep 4,513 

Tie Siding 7,890 

Wheatland 4,700 



NAME. MO JNTAIN RANGE. ELEVATION IN FEET. 

Bia Horn 8,000 to 12,000 

Bradley Peak Seminoe 9,500 

Bridger Peak 1 1,400 

Chimney Rock Wind River 11,853 

Cloud Peak Big Horn 12,500 

Mt. Doane Yellowstone 10,118 

Elk Mountain Medicine Bow 11,511 

Fremont s Peak Wind River I3,790 

Grand Encampment Park 1 1,003 

Grand Teton Teton 13,800 

Index Peak Yellowstone ii,740 

Laramie Peak Laramie 1 1,000 

Laramie Range 7,000 to 9,000 

Medicine Peak Park 12,231 

Medicine Bow Range 8,000 to 12,000 

Mt. Moran [[ .Teton 12,000 

Park Range, in Wvoming 11,500 

Phlox Mountain . ' Owl Creek 9,136 

Pilot Knob Yellowstone ii,977 

Ouien Hornet Uintah 9,300 

Sailor Mountain 10,046 

Seminoe Mountains (highest) 10,500 

Washakie Needles 12,252 

iVit. Washburn ." 10,388 

Yount's PeaK Yellowstone 12,250 




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